Micael Rodrigues News

Why Haaland, Kane heroics at World Cup could be bad news for football fans in China

Norway’s unprecedented run at the Fifa World Cup could be bad news for fans in Hong Kong at next month’s Football Festival as star striker Erling Haaland now looks set to miss the pre-season trip with Manchester City. Haaland’s brace on Sunday guided Norway to their first World Cup quarter-finals, and with the knockout match against England scheduled for Saturday local time, chances are the towering striker, who has seven goals to his name in the tournament, will not travel to Hong Kong. Players are entitled to a mandatory minimum off-season rest period or holiday of at least 21 consecutive days following any major Fifa tournaments, meaning even if Norway lose to England, Haaland’s three-week break would end on August 2, one day after Manchester City’s match against Inter Milan at Kai Tak Stadium. There could, however, be a glimmer of hope for football fans. While the 21-day rule is mandated globally, exact return dates are usually managed on an individual basis by clubs, taking regional collective agreements and individual match calendars into account. Depending on the result at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami between Norway and England, the list of missing players could grow further. Manchester City, who are already without midfield maestro Rodri for the start of the new season due to injury, have four other England internationals, including centre-back Marc Guehi, at the World Cup. The potential lack of star power in Hong Kong due to the World Cup could extend beyond the first of two Football Festival matches, with it possibly also impacting the August 5 tie between Chelsea and Juventus, as well as the Audi Football Summit between Bayern Munich and Aston Villa on August 7. Three Lions’ right-back Reece James could miss Chelsea’s summer tour to Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia if England continue their journey in the United States. The presence of Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins, who play for Bayern and Villa, respectively, is also in doubt. In April, Bayern Munich executive Rouven Kasper told the South China Morning Post that any international players contracted to the Bundesliga club are expected to be available for the team’s summer tour if their respective nations are eliminated at the World Cup quarter-finals or earlier. A representative from the 35-time Bundesliga champions told SCMP on Monday that they do not have the final list for their two matches in South Korea and Hong Kong yet as it “depends on the World Cup”. Still, it is expected German internationals Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and South Korea centre-back Kim Min-jae, Japanese defender Hiroki Ito, and Canadian winger Alphonso Davies would still make the team. France, who will play Morocco in the quarter-final on Thursday, are another country with players involved in five of the six teams visiting the city in the first week of August. City winger Rayan Cherki, Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram, Bayern’s duo Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano, and Villa left-back Lucas Digne could all be left behind if the two-time champions win at Gillette Stadium. The same applies to Belgian captain Youri Tielemans and winger Jeremy Doku, who play for Villa and City, respectively, if they beat co-hosts United States to reach the last eight. Bayern’s Luiz Diaz may also miss out if Colombia overcome Switzerland in Vancouver on Tuesday. In the case of Argentina knocking out Egypt in Atlanta, Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez and Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez could also be given time off rather than being asked to attend the pre-season tours.

2026-07-06

Spain , Portugal Set For Blockbuster Iberian Showdown In Last 16

2026-07-06

‘Stung’ Spain have digested shock start but know repeat is not an option

Cape Verde are not the only ones to have kept Spain out at this World Cup. Turns out it was even harder to get past security on the gate of the team hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Two days after the 0-0 draw in their opener, Luis de la Fuente gave his players the day off, a chance to clear their heads and leave the disappointment behind. Lamine Yamal went to Nashville, Dani Olmo headed for Hamilton Place mall and Rodri strolled the Tennessee river with his partner. When Borja Iglesias got back before the 9pm curfew, they didn’t recognise him and wouldn’t let him in. “It was funny,” Iglesias said, standing at the side of the pitch at Kennesaw State University 30 miles north-west of Atlanta on Saturday, moments before the selección’s final session in preparation for their second game. “It happens to me in Spain, so how could it not happen here? I didn’t have the accreditation with me so I have to wait for someone to come and get me. Lamine laughed at me: ‘I love it, they didn’t let you in.’ The good thing is I told a couple of them and they said it had happened to them before too.” It can’t happen again. Up next for Spain are Saudi Arabia back in Atlanta on Sunday and this time they have to find a way through. “I’m not sure it’s fair to say that the forwards have to ‘improve’, but yes, we need goals,” Iglesias said. “We had various chances and didn’t score; other times you only get one chance and you do score. So, be calm. I have seen them train and there’s no problem. They will go in next time, for sure.” And then things will be different. “If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.” Few others saw the good in the game, especially not from the outside. Cape Verde were supposed to be easy and with this format no one entertained the possibility of Spain being knocked out anyway, which may have been part of the problem. “Maybe the fact that it was the first game conditioned things,” De la Fuente conceded. The following day Mikel Merino had talked about a “mourning”; it was a metaphor, he insisted, but it had hurt. “The players are stung, and tomorrow will be different for sure,” said De la Fuente. And yet, he said, there were “zero doubts”; Spain must “insist on the same idea”. Yet the conclusion that the only thing missing was a finish did not entirely convince. In the opening half an hour, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch. In that period, six players made more passes than Pedri, who is supposed to be the playmaker but who appeared too advanced, his energy expended chasing down defenders while the game was played behind him instead of in front of him. With Gavi and Torres on the wings, what width there was came from the full-backs. Which leads to the other element which has occupied everyone – probably too much. The absence of Lamine Yamal until 71 minutes has eclipsed almost everything else in a national team developing a dependency that goes beyond the pitch. An 18-year-old is cast as Spain’s hope and salvation, almost as their everything. Unable to play since April with a hamstring injury, De la Fuente had said Lamine Yamal was in “perfect” condition before facing Cape Verde and that the way the game went would decide when he was put on but that claim was disproved by how long the coach waited and the conversations with the medical staff that preceded the winger’s introduction. Nico Williams, also returning from injury, got just nine minutes. “The freshness of Lamine and Nico is what it is,” De la Fuente said then. “The good news is that Lamine is back,” he says now. The important questions are how many minutes Lamine Yamal can play against Saudi Arabia, and which minutes; De la Fuente seemed to imply that he would prefer the second 45, which is where games are won, to the first 45. But on the eve of the match the numbers he threw out were “55, 58, 63”. “We would be in a better mood if we had won but today we have taken our run to 32 games unbeaten,” De la Fuente said then; six days on, the mood is better still, a sense if anything that the negative reaction to their opening game was a bit much, that the critics had got carried away, that it’s not so bad. And, importantly, that they would show those critics how wrong they were. There was that word: “stung”. De la Fuente said: “There’s no feeling of pressure, no sense of emergency. Sometimes the criticism motivates you and this is a generation of players that is very competitive. Players see [what’s said].” He added: “There is a moment when it stops being about tactics. This team has heart and always responds.” They are not going to let it divide them, certainly: this is a close group, they keep saying. On Saturday, Laporte was talking about playing Fortnite with the kids, who enjoy winding him up. And it is just one game, which they didn’t even lose. Uruguay’s draw that same night also meant that they don’t even have a deficit to make up. “We were sad those first 24 hours but we have turned it around now,” Zubimendi said on Saturday. He also rejected suggestions that Spain’s circulation of the ball had been slow – “I’m surprised because if this midfield has a characteristic quality it’s not exactly that it slows the game down” – and defended Rodri from unexpected criticism, asking: “What am I even supposed to say to that?” Zubimendi added: “It was not a brilliant game but nor was it really bad: there are things we can take from it. We have to come up with improvements, especially that fluidity, that freshness in the final third which I think is going to be the key. I don’t think it’s a physical problem, I think it’s more that touch of precision. The day after wasn’t easy but that shows we care, that we’re pissed off at not winning, and that we feel the need to win. Our confidence has not dropped; we have walked a long path together and we trust each other to turn this around.” This time, they can’t let anyone stop them. “We were annoyed, which is the way it should be,” Laporte said. “But it’s also true that we are unbeaten in 32. We have the ambition and the confidence to look to the next game, think positively, and try to win, as we always to. To say: ‘We’re here.’”

2026-06-21

‘Stung’ Spain have digested shock start but know repeat is not an option

Cape Verde are not the only ones to have kept Spain out at this World Cup. Turns out it was even harder to get past security on the gate of the team hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Two days after the 0-0 draw in their opener, Luis de la Fuente gave his players the day off, a chance to clear their heads and leave the disappointment behind. Lamine Yamal went to Nashville, Dani Olmo headed for Hamilton Place mall and Rodri strolled the Tennessee river with his partner. When Borja Iglesias got back before the 9pm curfew, they didn’t recognise him and wouldn’t let him in. “It was funny,” Iglesias said, standing at the side of the pitch at Kennesaw State University 30 miles north-west of Atlanta on Saturday, moments before the selección’s final session in preparation for their second game. “It happens to me in Spain, so how could it not happen here? I didn’t have the accreditation with me so I have to wait for someone to come and get me. Lamine laughed at me: ‘I love it, they didn’t let you in.’ The good thing is I told a couple of them and they said it had happened to them before too.” It can’t happen again. Up next for Spain are Saudi Arabia back in Atlanta on Sunday and this time they have to find a way through. “I’m not sure it’s fair to say that the forwards have to ‘improve’, but yes, we need goals,” Iglesias said. “We had various chances and didn’t score; other times you only get one chance and you do score. So, be calm. I have seen them train and there’s no problem. They will go in next time, for sure.” And then things will be different. “If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” Martín Zubimendi said. Immediately after the game, De la Fuente had offered a simple analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in it doesn’t want to go in, he insisted. Spain had racked up 27 shots, after all. Ferran Torres had hit the bar and seen another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more and was named the man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri said. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.” Few others saw the good in the game, especially not from the outside. Cape Verde were supposed to be easy and with this format no one entertained the possibility of Spain being knocked out anyway, which may have been part of the problem. “Maybe the fact that it was the first game conditioned things,” De la Fuente conceded. The following day Mikel Merino had talked about a “mourning”; it was a metaphor, he insisted, but it had hurt. “The players are stung, and tomorrow will be different for sure,” said De la Fuente. And yet, he said, there were “zero doubts”; Spain must “insist on the same idea”. Yet the conclusion that the only thing missing was a finish did not entirely convince. In the opening half an hour, Mikel Oyarzabal, the centre-forward, did not get a single touch. In that period, six players made more passes than Pedri, who is supposed to be the playmaker but who appeared too advanced, his energy expended chasing down defenders while the game was played behind him instead of in front of him. With Gavi and Torres on the wings, what width there was came from the full-backs. Which leads to the other element which has occupied everyone – probably too much. The absence of Lamine Yamal until 71 minutes has eclipsed almost everything else in a national team developing a dependency that goes beyond the pitch. An 18-year-old is cast as Spain’s hope and salvation, almost as their everything. Unable to play since April with a hamstring injury, De la Fuente had said Lamine Yamal was in “perfect” condition before facing Cape Verde and that the way the game went would decide when he was put on but that claim was disproved by how long the coach waited and the conversations with the medical staff that preceded the winger’s introduction. Nico Williams, also returning from injury, got just nine minutes. “The freshness of Lamine and Nico is what it is,” De la Fuente said then. “The good news is that Lamine is back,” he says now. The important questions are how many minutes Lamine Yamal can play against Saudi Arabia, and which minutes; De la Fuente seemed to imply that he would prefer the second 45, which is where games are won, to the first 45. But on the eve of the match the numbers he threw out were “55, 58, 63”. “We would be in a better mood if we had won but today we have taken our run to 32 games unbeaten,” De la Fuente said then; six days on, the mood is better still, a sense if anything that the negative reaction to their opening game was a bit much, that the critics had got carried away, that it’s not so bad. And, importantly, that they would show those critics how wrong they were. There was that word: “stung”. De la Fuente said: “There’s no feeling of pressure, no sense of emergency. Sometimes the criticism motivates you and this is a generation of players that is very competitive. Players see [what’s said].” He added: “There is a moment when it stops being about tactics. This team has heart and always responds.” They are not going to let it divide them, certainly: this is a close group, they keep saying. On Saturday, Laporte was talking about playing Fortnite with the kids, who enjoy winding him up. And it is just one game, which they didn’t even lose. Uruguay’s draw that same night also meant that they don’t even have a deficit to make up. “We were sad those first 24 hours but we have turned it around now,” Zubimendi said on Saturday. He also rejected suggestions that Spain’s circulation of the ball had been slow – “I’m surprised because if this midfield has a characteristic quality it’s not exactly that it slows the game down” – and defended Rodri from unexpected criticism, asking: “What am I even supposed to say to that?” Zubimendi added: “It was not a brilliant game but nor was it really bad: there are things we can take from it. We have to come up with improvements, especially that fluidity, that freshness in the final third which I think is going to be the key. I don’t think it’s a physical problem, I think it’s more that touch of precision. The day after wasn’t easy but that shows we care, that we’re pissed off at not winning, and that we feel the need to win. Our confidence has not dropped; we have walked a long path together and we trust each other to turn this around.” This time, they can’t let anyone stop them. “We were annoyed, which is the way it should be,” Laporte said. “But it’s also true that we are unbeaten in 32. We have the ambition and the confidence to look to the next game, think positively, and try to win, as we always to. To say: ‘We’re here.’”

2026-06-21

Rodri Eyeing Real Madrid Switch as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City Exit Nears

Manchester [UK], May 20: Manchester City star Rodri is reportedly desperately looking forward to securing a deal with Spanish giants Real Madrid after manager Pep Guardiola's era with the English football giants nears its conclusion, reported Goal.com on Wednesday. The Spanish star has long been a dream club for Rodri, and a change in Man City's leadership has opened the door for a potential move to the 15-time UEFA Champions League champions. Arsenal Crowned Premier League 2025–26 Champions, Gunners Ending 22-Year Wait for Title Glory. Guardiola's presence was massive within Man City, and it shaped the career of many superstars of the club, including Rodri himself. But with the 20 trophy-winning manager concluding his chapter with the club, it has altered the future of several players within the team. For Rodri, Guardiola was a mentor who shaped him into one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, and with him leaving, the emotional and professional ties with the Premier League have weakened considerably, paving the way for a move to his home city. Real Madrid's admiration for Rodri has not been hidden. Since the retirement of Toni Kroos, a multiple-time La Liga and UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Real Madrid has felt the absence of a player capable of dictating the tempo from the deep. The top management of the club feels that Rodri is the perfect player who could provide the equilibrium to their star-studded squad. Neymar Toilet Viral Video Fact Check: Fans Swarm Brazilian Football Star's Lookalike Inside Public Washroom. The timing aligns as a major managerial shift is happening in Real Madrid itself, with Jose Mourinho having reported to have reached a verbal agreement to be the next manager for the club. Rodri is viewed as a priority signing as Real Madrid aims to move to their next chapter after a trophyless season in the 2025-26 season. Rodri is also reportedly "very keen" for a return to Spain, having represented Atletico Madrid and Villarreal, but he is under contract with City till 2027, and the club are really tough negotiators. Rodri's immense physical and technical qualities make him a quality player that Real Madrid can fight for, standing at over 1.90 m, offering a massive presence and ability to dictate play in terms of attacking and applying pressure. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)

2026-05-20

Selfless Silva gives latest reminder of why Manchester City will miss him so much | Will Unwin

There will be plenty that Bernardo Silva will miss about Manchester City but driving rain in May and playing against the lowest of blocks will not be two of them. The midfielder’s penultimate game at the Etihad Stadium after nine years at the club was a reminder of how difficult it will be to replace him. Amid six changes, as Pep Guardiola rested and rotated, keeping “grandfather” Silva in the team was imperative. Without Rodri, the head coach needed someone he could rely on and no one better fits the category than the 31-year-old. Playing alongside Phil Foden in midfield, as the deeper of the two, one of a plethora of roles he’s taken on down the years, he utilised his mix of steel and finesse to set an example. Versatility is not the reason Silva will go down as one of City’s greats, but it shows that in a world of egos, he is willing to adapt for the sake of the team. From left-back to false 9, Silva has covered a lot of ground, making him hard to define in the modern game. What Guardiola has always loved about him is his ability to dictate a match, replacing Joy Division as the leading author of control in the north-west of England. Often found further forward, Silva was happy to be the foundation on this occasion, always the first point of contact for the centre-backs, Abdukodir Khusanov and Marc Guéhi, who would look to play a pass into him. Alternatively, Silva would drop in between the pair to receive the ball, before looking up to see how he could instigate things, taking that extra second to give teammates a chance to create movement. Over the past nine seasons, no one has won more Premier League games than Silva – 217 to be precise – and he has been Guardiola’s most used player in the period, making 457 appearances in all competitions, 85 more than Ederson, his closest rival. It is a testament to his longevity and fitness, not to mention rarely dipping in form. Even in the matches he was not at his best, there was always a desire to succeed and Silva’s attitude never dampened. It seems inevitable that Silva will go into coaching once his playing days have ended, probably somewhere warmer than Manchester on Wednesday night. He coaches others through the game, ensuring they know their role in the team. Considering Foden’s poor form this season, he looked very comfortable alongside Silva, offering more spark than has regularly been witnessed in recent times, proving it with a magical backheel to create Antoine Semenyo’s opener. Natural instincts make Silva want to join every attack but he knows City are susceptible to the counterattack, forcing him to be constrained. Holding back to assist those behind him should a positive quickly turn into a negative is a selfless act, one much appreciated by what is a relatively inexperienced pairing. Intelligent use of the ball is integral to the Silva repertoire. Ten minutes into the second half there was a sublime touch and simple pass to a teammate, something that goes relatively unnoticed in the grand scheme of things but it was on the edge of his own box, with Palace shirts all around. Silva was not panicked, he never is, and this coolness radiates around his teammates. Without Rodri, there is always a little more trepidation in the ranks, so the comfort of Silva is welcome. Should the two be absent at any point, one wonders who could fill the void. Much consternation went around the ground when Silva played a blind back-pass, first failing to look if any Palace players were in the vicinity and exacerbating matters by completely miscuing it, allowing Ismaïla Sarr a chance to shoot. It shows that no one is perfect. Silva is understated in his approach but certainly not undervalued. With City enjoying a comfortable two-goal lead, Crystal Palace sent on more attacking thrust, desperate to increase the pressure after a placid 65 minutes. The visitors were trying to speed things up, but Silva saw his responsibility to maintain composure, to slow proceedings down, frustrating the visitors in the process. With 11 minutes to go, Guardiola relented and brought his metronome off for a break, with more key fixtures to come. It gave the supporters a second-to-last chance to give their hero a thoroughly deserved standing ovation. Passing on the captain’s armband to Nathan Aké was Silva’s easiest task of the night but felt ceremonial considering his impending departure. Saturday at Wembley gives Silva the chance of a third FA Cup medal, to add to the Champions League crown and six Premier League titles, with a seventh still a possibility. Guardiola insists he does not have an archetypal player but if he did, they would resemble Silva. “Everything is replaceable in football life,” Guardiola said. “But there are players that it’s even more difficult.”

2026-05-13

Guardiola wants City players to raise their game rather than trust ‘flip of a coin’ officials

Pep Guardiola believes officiating decisions are a “flip of a coin” and constantly urges his Manchester City players to perform better in order to overcome this. Refereeing and the use of the video assistant referee are being scrutinised once more after Callum Wilson’s late disallowed goal in West Ham’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal at the London Stadium on Sunday. The decision came after the referee Chris Kavanagh awarded the strike before being advised by the game’s VAR, Darren England, to review the incident at the pitchside monitor. On doing so, Kavanagh ruled the goal out for a foul on Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya. Arsenal’s victory moved them to 79 points, five ahead of City, with two matches left, meaning that even if Guardiola’s side win their three remaining games they may not be able to catch Mikel Arteta’s team. The first of those comes against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening. Guardiola did not comment on Wilson’s disallowed goal but did claim that City had lost the last two FA Cup finals, to Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively, because “referees didn’t do their job, even the VAR”. In the 2024 final, Erling Haaland was not awarded a penalty after appearing to be pushed over in the area by Lisandro Martínez. Later in the game, Haaland appeared to be fouled in the area by Kobbie Mainoo and again no penalty was awarded. In 2025, Palace’s goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, handled the ball outside the area and was booked rather than sent off as he was adjudged not to have prevented a goalscoring chance. “The only thing we can do is do it [perform] better – that is only in your control,” said Guardiola. “We lost the two finals of the FA Cup because the referees didn’t do their jobs they should do, even the VAR. When this happens it is because we have to do better, not the referees or VAR. “I never trust anything since I arrived [at City] a long time ago. Always I learned you have do it better – be in a position to do it better because [if not] you blame yourself with what you have to do, because [VAR] is a flip of a coin. You have to do better and better for yourself, and that is focusing on Crystal Palace for us.” “We play in this game, we go to Bournemouth and the last game in Aston Villa. The important one is tomorrow and we will see what happens to the next games. I always learned that when you lose focus, you are in a dangerous situation.” Abdukodir Khusanov and Rodri are doubts to face Palace due to injury. Rodri has been absent since sustaining a groin strain in last month’s win over Arsenal and Guardiola was asked if the midfielder may be ruled out of next month’s World Cup. “No,” said Guardiola. “Well, there is a chance if [Luis] de la Fuente [Spain’s head coach] doesn’t pick him. But, we’ll take care of him.”

2026-05-12

Inter Miami are dropping points, and their stars are in hiding: MLS weekend wrap

Another Inter Miami match, another hat-trick by an Argentinian No 10. Just not the one you expected. Martín Ojeda put on a masterclass on Sunday and led Orlando City to a shocking 4-3 defeat of Miami that saw the Lions become just the third team in MLS’s 30-year history to win after trailing 3-0. As Ojeda raised his arms in triumph at the final whistle, Lionel Messi – who scored a wonder goal of his own and added two assists – headed straight for the locker room. Miami are winless in four games since christening Nu Stadium in April, but Saturday’s loss carried extra weight, coming at the hands of their in-state rivals and one of one of MLS’s poorest sides. And while there’s plenty of blame to spread around in Miami’s camp, defenders Maxi Falcón and Micael put in atrocious performances against Orlando. Miami actually continued to threaten offensively until the final whistle but their defensive ineptitude comes as no surprise to anyone who has watched them in 2026, or last year for that matter. Miami’s attempts at bolstering an already iffy backline – one that has suffered greatly from the loss of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets this offseason – involved bringing in defending MLS goalkeeper of the year Dayne St Clair, along with defenders Micael and Sergio Reguilón. The adds clearly haven’t worked; Miami have given up twice as many goals at this point in the season as they had in 2025. They continue to struggle in defensive transition. And with a midfield laboring despite the presence of Rodrigo De Paul, giveaways are as common as they are dangerous. Only an in-form Messi and a handful of other standouts have kept Miami – who are third in the Eastern Conference – in decent shape. Who, then, will face the music? Inter Miami are already on their second manager of the season, after Javier Mascherano’s surprise resignation along with most of his coaching staff. Guillermo Hoyos, Messi’s “football father” and formerly Miami’s sporting director, is now head coach but took only one question from the media on Saturday, delivering a single, terse answer before leaving the room. As for players, neither Falcón nor Micael – nor any one of Miami’s galaxy of stars – had to answer for their performance to the media. This is run-of-the-mill stuff at Miami, who have shirked the league’s media and open locker room policies for years. More recently they appear to have taken that approach to new heights, refusing match credentials to some longtime local media since moving to Nu Stadium. Left to carry the load, then, was Miami defender Noah Allen. Allen, along with fellow fullback Ian Fray, were at least serviceable on Saturday, with Fray scoring Miami’s opener. Allen, who is often left to address the media on behalf of his teammates, was asked on Saturday whether it’s been tough to fill that role every week in place of more senior players. In a world where players are more often than not polished and professional to the point of tedium, Allen’s answer was open and honest. “Yes,” Allen said. “I’m not going to lie.” We’ll have to see if Miami keep marching him up there. *** Frustration boils over The Philadelphia Union’s 0-0 draw against Nashville SC would have been forgettable, but for one notable moment. About 68 minutes in – and with the Union stretched defensively – head coach Bradley Carnell pulled 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan. Sullivan, who was starting just his third league match of the year, was unhappy. We know this because one could read Sullivan’s lips as he jogged off the field: “Fucking bullshit, motherfucker.” Aside from the Union’s run in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Sullivan has largely been left out of Carnell’s plans, at least as a starter. It’s been a head-scratching decision at times, with the Union circling the drain in the Eastern Conference, in need of some creativity up top that Sullivan could provide. It’s led some to question whether Sullivan’s growth is being stunted by the Union ahead of a potentially life-altering transfer – he has a clause in his contract that will see him move to Manchester City when he turns 18, or potentially earlier to one of their sister clubs. It’s also fair to ask what anybody is supposed to expect from Sullivan, who was even younger than MLS’s other notable phenom, Freddy Adu, when he made his first team debut in 2024. Carnell praised Sullivan’s performance after the match and pinned the substitution on a tactical shift. “You know, the front four, they invest so much for us and there were a couple of plays at the end there where [Nashville] brings on [Andy] Najar, especially down that side,” Carnell said. “That’s why we had to get [Agustín Anello] on just from a physicality point of view, just to do the recoveries as well. So, you know, definitely not performance related because he did really well.” Carnell’s remarks aside, outbursts like Sullivan’s are never helpful and may run counter to the general assessment of Sullivan, or at least the one that existed when the Union announced he’d be headed to Manchester City in the first place. Back then, decision-makers at the Union spoke of his maturity and professionalism. Saturday’s outburst doesn’t mean that assessment is wrong, though – rather, we just saw a different side of Sullivan, though many in attendance probably understood his frustration. *** San Diego standoff goes aerial The borderline telenovela between San Diego FC and Chucky Lozano has reached brand new heights. Altitudes, even. Lozano has been excluded from San Diego’s plans this year and has been training away from the team, having recently posted something akin to an “everybody hurts” video of himself wandering around San Diego’s training facility alone. The club’s head coach, Mikey Varas, gave an almost hilariously curt answer last week when asked if Lozano – who is making $7.4m a year – coulc return to the team, offering the following: “No chance.” Yet San Diego’s pitiful start to the season has fans clamoring for his return, with some supporters chanting Lozano’s name during matches. Just before Saturday’s match against LAFC, a plane appeared overhead towing a banner with a message for Varas, or anybody who would listen: “FREE CHUCKY = MORE WINS.” San Diego actually looked decent against Los Angeles and very nearly won, undone deep into second-half stoppage time by a controversial Ryan Hollingshead strike. Something tells me we won’t be seeing Lozano anytime soon, airborne pleas be damned.

2026-05-04

Inter Miami are dropping points, and their stars are in hiding: MLS weekend wrap

Another Inter Miami match, another hat-trick by an Argentinian No 10. Just not the one you expected. Martín Ojeda put on a masterclass on Sunday and led Orlando City to a shocking 4-3 defeat of Miami that saw the Lions become just the third team in MLS’s 30-year history to win after trailing 3-0. As Ojeda raised his arms in triumph at the final whistle, Lionel Messi – who scored a wonder goal of his own and added two assists – headed straight for the locker room. Miami are winless in four games since christening Nu Stadium in April, but Saturday’s loss carried extra weight, coming at the hands of their in-state rivals and one of one of MLS’s poorest sides. And while there’s plenty of blame to spread around in Miami’s camp, defenders Maxi Falcón and Micael put in atrocious performances against Orlando. Miami actually continued to threaten offensively until the final whistle but their defensive ineptitude comes as no surprise to anyone who has watched them in 2026, or last year for that matter. Miami’s attempts at bolstering an already iffy backline – one that has suffered greatly from the loss of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets this offseason – involved bringing in defending MLS goalkeeper of the year Dayne St Clair, along with defenders Micael and Sergio Reguilón. The adds clearly haven’t worked; Miami have given up twice as many goals at this point in the season as they had in 2025. They continue to struggle in defensive transition. And with a midfield laboring despite the presence of Rodrigo De Paul, giveaways are as common as they are dangerous. Only an in-form Messi and a handful of other standouts have kept Miami – who are third in the Eastern Conference – in decent shape. Who, then, will face the music? Inter Miami are already on their second manager of the season, after Javier Mascherano’s surprise resignation along with most of his coaching staff. Guillermo Hoyos, Messi’s “football father” and formerly Miami’s sporting director, is now head coach but took only one question from the media on Saturday, delivering a single, terse answer before leaving the room. As for players, neither Falcón nor Micael – nor any one of Miami’s galaxy of stars – had to answer for their performance to the media. This is run-of-the-mill stuff at Miami, who have shirked the league’s media and open locker room policies for years. More recently they appear to have taken that approach to new heights, refusing match credentials to some longtime local media since moving to Nu Stadium. Left to carry the load, then, was Miami defender Noah Allen. Allen, along with fellow fullback Ian Fray, were at least serviceable on Saturday, with Fray scoring Miami’s opener. Allen, who is often left to address the media on behalf of his teammates, was asked on Saturday whether it’s been tough to fill that role every week in place of more senior players. In a world where players are more often than not polished and professional to the point of tedium, Allen’s answer was open and honest. “Yes,” Allen said. “I’m not going to lie.” We’ll have to see if Miami keep marching him up there. *** Frustration boils over The Philadelphia Union’s 0-0 draw against Nashville SC would have been forgettable, but for one notable moment. About 68 minutes in – and with the Union stretched defensively – head coach Bradley Carnell pulled 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan. Sullivan, who was starting just his third league match of the year, was unhappy. We know this because one could read Sullivan’s lips as he jogged off the field: “Fucking bullshit, motherfucker.” Aside from the Union’s run in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Sullivan has largely been left out of Carnell’s plans, at least as a starter. It’s been a head-scratching decision at times, with the Union circling the drain in the Eastern Conference, in need of some creativity up top that Sullivan could provide. It’s led some to question whether Sullivan’s growth is being stunted by the Union ahead of a potentially life-altering transfer – he has a clause in his contract that will see him move to Manchester City when he turns 18, or potentially earlier to one of their sister clubs. It’s also fair to ask what anybody is supposed to expect from Sullivan, who was even younger than MLS’s other notable phenom, Freddy Adu, when he made his first team debut in 2024. Carnell praised Sullivan’s performance after the match and pinned the substitution on a tactical shift. “You know, the front four, they invest so much for us and there were a couple of plays at the end there where [Nashville] brings on [Andy] Najar, especially down that side,” Carnell said. “That’s why we had to get [Agustín Anello] on just from a physicality point of view, just to do the recoveries as well. So, you know, definitely not performance related because he did really well.” Carnell’s remarks aside, outbursts like Sullivan’s are never helpful and may run counter to the general assessment of Sullivan, or at least the one that existed when the Union announced he’d be headed to Manchester City in the first place. Back then, decision-makers at the Union spoke of his maturity and professionalism. Saturday’s outburst doesn’t mean that assessment is wrong, though – rather, we just saw a different side of Sullivan, though many in attendance probably understood his frustration. *** San Diego standoff goes aerial The borderline telenovela between San Diego FC and Chucky Lozano has reached brand new heights. Altitudes, even. Lozano has been excluded from San Diego’s plans this year and has been training away from the team, having recently posted something akin to an “everybody hurts” video of himself wandering around San Diego’s training facility alone. The club’s head coach, Mikey Varas, gave an almost hilariously curt answer last week when asked if Lozano – who is making $7.4m a year – coulc return to the team, offering the following: “No chance.” Yet San Diego’s pitiful start to the season has fans clamoring for his return, with some supporters chanting Lozano’s name during matches. Just before Saturday’s match against LAFC, a plane appeared overhead towing a banner with a message for Varas, or anybody who would listen: “FREE CHUCKY = MORE WINS.” San Diego actually looked decent against Los Angeles and very nearly won, undone deep into second-half stoppage time by a controversial Ryan Hollingshead strike. Something tells me we won’t be seeing Lozano anytime soon, airborne pleas be damned.

2026-05-04

Inter Miami are dropping points, and their stars are in hiding: MLS weekend wrap

Another Inter Miami match, another hat-trick by an Argentinian No 10. Just not the one you expected. Martín Ojeda put on a masterclass on Sunday and led Orlando City to a shocking 4-3 defeat of Miami that saw the Lions become just the third team in MLS’s 30-year history to win after trailing 3-0. As Ojeda raised his arms in triumph at the final whistle, Lionel Messi – who scored a wonder goal of his own and added two assists – headed straight for the locker room. Miami are winless in four games since christening Nu Stadium in April, but Saturday’s loss carried extra weight, coming at the hands of their in-state rivals and one of one of MLS’s poorest sides. And while there’s plenty of blame to spread around in Miami’s camp, defenders Maxi Falcón and Micael put in atrocious performances against Orlando. Miami actually continued to threaten offensively until the final whistle but their defensive ineptitude comes as no surprise to anyone who has watched them in 2026, or last year for that matter. Miami’s attempts at bolstering an already iffy backline – one that has suffered greatly from the loss of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets this offseason – involved bringing in defending MLS goalkeeper of the year Dayne St Clair, along with defenders Micael and Sergio Reguilón. The adds clearly haven’t worked; Miami have given up twice as many goals at this point in the season as they had in 2025. They continue to struggle in defensive transition. And with a midfield laboring despite the presence of Rodrigo De Paul, giveaways are as common as they are dangerous. Only an in-form Messi and a handful of other standouts have kept Miami – who are third in the Eastern Conference – in decent shape. Who, then, will face the music? Inter Miami are already on their second manager of the season, after Javier Mascherano’s surprise resignation along with most of his coaching staff. Guillermo Hoyos, Messi’s “football father” and formerly Miami’s sporting director, is now head coach but took only one question from the media on Saturday, delivering a single, terse answer before leaving the room. As for players, neither Falcón nor Micael – nor any one of Miami’s galaxy of stars – had to answer for their performance to the media. This is run-of-the-mill stuff at Miami, who have shirked the league’s media and open locker room policies for years. More recently they appear to have taken that approach to new heights, refusing match credentials to some longtime local media since moving to Nu Stadium. Left to carry the load, then, was Miami defender Noah Allen. Allen, along with fellow fullback Ian Fray, were at least serviceable on Saturday, with Fray scoring Miami’s opener. Allen, who is often left to address the media on behalf of his teammates, was asked on Saturday whether it’s been tough to fill that role every week in place of more senior players. In a world where players are more often than not polished and professional to the point of tedium, Allen’s answer was open and honest. “Yes,” Allen said. “I’m not going to lie.” We’ll have to see if Miami keep marching him up there. *** Frustration boils over The Philadelphia Union’s 0-0 draw against Nashville SC would have been forgettable, but for one notable moment. About 68 minutes in – and with the Union stretched defensively – head coach Bradley Carnell pulled 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan. Sullivan, who was starting just his third league match of the year, was unhappy. We know this because one could read Sullivan’s lips as he jogged off the field: “Fucking bullshit, motherfucker.” Aside from the Union’s run in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Sullivan has largely been left out of Carnell’s plans, at least as a starter. It’s been a head-scratching decision at times, with the Union circling the drain in the Eastern Conference, in need of some creativity up top that Sullivan could provide. It’s led some to question whether Sullivan’s growth is being stunted by the Union ahead of a potentially life-altering transfer – he has a clause in his contract that will see him move to Manchester City when he turns 18, or potentially earlier to one of their sister clubs. It’s also fair to ask what anybody is supposed to expect from Sullivan, who was even younger than MLS’s other notable phenom, Freddy Adu, when he made his first team debut in 2024. Carnell praised Sullivan’s performance after the match and pinned the substitution on a tactical shift. “You know, the front four, they invest so much for us and there were a couple of plays at the end there where [Nashville] brings on [Andy] Najar, especially down that side,” Carnell said. “That’s why we had to get [Agustín Anello] on just from a physicality point of view, just to do the recoveries as well. So, you know, definitely not performance related because he did really well.” Carnell’s remarks aside, outbursts like Sullivan’s are never helpful and may run counter to the general assessment of Sullivan, or at least the one that existed when the Union announced he’d be headed to Manchester City in the first place. Back then, decision-makers at the Union spoke of his maturity and professionalism. Saturday’s outburst doesn’t mean that assessment is wrong, though – rather, we just saw a different side of Sullivan, though many in attendance probably understood his frustration. *** San Diego standoff goes aerial The borderline telenovela between San Diego FC and Chucky Lozano has reached brand new heights. Altitudes, even. Lozano has been excluded from San Diego’s plans this year and has been training away from the team, having recently posted something akin to an “everybody hurts” video of himself wandering around San Diego’s training facility alone. The club’s head coach, Mikey Varas, gave an almost hilariously curt answer last week when asked if Lozano – who is making $7.4m a year – coulc return to the team, offering the following: “No chance.” Yet San Diego’s pitiful start to the season has fans clamoring for his return, with some supporters chanting Lozano’s name during matches. Just before Saturday’s match against LAFC, a plane appeared overhead towing a banner with a message for Varas, or anybody who would listen: “FREE CHUCKY = MORE WINS.” San Diego actually looked decent against Los Angeles and very nearly won, undone deep into second-half stoppage time by a controversial Ryan Hollingshead strike. Something tells me we won’t be seeing Lozano anytime soon, airborne pleas be damned.

2026-05-04