Rubiales Resignation Should Not Be End but Beginning of Movement, Says Stanway

Football - 2030 World Cup bid - Portugal, Spain and Ukraine Press Conference - UEFA headquarters, Nyon, Switzerland - October 5, 2022 Spanish football Federation president Luis Rubiales during the press conference. (Reuters)
Football - 2030 World Cup bid - Portugal, Spain and Ukraine Press Conference - UEFA headquarters, Nyon, Switzerland - October 5, 2022 Spanish football Federation president Luis Rubiales during the press conference. (Reuters)
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Rubiales Resignation Should Not Be End but Beginning of Movement, Says Stanway

Football - 2030 World Cup bid - Portugal, Spain and Ukraine Press Conference - UEFA headquarters, Nyon, Switzerland - October 5, 2022 Spanish football Federation president Luis Rubiales during the press conference. (Reuters)
Football - 2030 World Cup bid - Portugal, Spain and Ukraine Press Conference - UEFA headquarters, Nyon, Switzerland - October 5, 2022 Spanish football Federation president Luis Rubiales during the press conference. (Reuters)

The resignation of Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales following allegations of giving an unsolicited kiss to Jenni Hermoso should be the start of a movement rather than the end point, England's Georgia Stanway said on Monday.

Rubiales's actions following the Women's World Cup final sparked outrage in Spain and he quit his post on Sunday, saying his position had become untenable even though he continued to defend his version of events.

"Everybody's fought and we fought as a women's football group -- we fought as players, we've fought as staff, we've fought as journalists for the outcome to be what it is," Stanway told reporters ahead of Bayern Munich's season opener on Friday.

"Obviously, the outcome is what we want. But at the same time, we want this to be the start of something, rather than the end of something.

"We want to continue to be able to have these conversations, to feel comfortable to have these conversations, feel comfortable in your workplace, to be able to stand up for whatever you think is right."

Hermoso received an outpouring of support after the incident from players and government officials.

Losing finalists England also made a statement in support of Hermoso while their coach Sarina Wiegman dedicated her UEFA Women's Coach of the Year award to the Spain women's team last month even as Rubiales defied calls to quit.

"I know as a group of Lionesses and I know as a group at Bayern, we will continue to fight for what we believe is right. Even if people don't join us, we will stand by our own opinion," Stanway added.

"We have a resolution, but this is only the start of something that could end up being potentially very, very positive for the women's game."



Liverpool New Signing Jacquet Suffers 'Serious' Injury

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026  Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026 Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Liverpool New Signing Jacquet Suffers 'Serious' Injury

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026  Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026 Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Liverpool's new signing Jeremy Jacquet suffered a "serious" shoulder injury while playing for Rennes in their 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat at RC Lens on Saturday, casting doubt over the defender’s availability ahead of his summer move to Anfield.

Jacquet fell awkwardly in the second half of the ⁠French league match and appeared in agony as he left the pitch.

"For Jeremy, it's his shoulder, and for Abdelhamid (Ait Boudlal, another Rennes player injured in the ⁠same match) it's muscular," Rennes head coach Habib Beye told reporters after the match.

"We'll have time to see, but it's definitely quite serious for both of them."
Liverpool agreed a 60-million-pound ($80-million) deal for Jacquet on Monday, but the 20-year-old defender will stay with ⁠the French club until the end of the season.

Liverpool, provisionally sixth in the Premier League table, will face Manchester City on Sunday with four defenders - Giovanni Leoni, Joe Gomez, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley - sidelined due to injuries.


Højlund Rescues Napoli with Dramatic 3-2 win Over Genoa in Serie A

Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal  during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026.  EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
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Højlund Rescues Napoli with Dramatic 3-2 win Over Genoa in Serie A

Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal  during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026.  EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO

Rasmus Højlund scored a last-gasp penalty as 10-man Napoli won 3-2 at Genoa in Serie A on Saturday, keeping pressure on the top two clubs from Milan.

Højlund was fortunate Genoa goalkeeper Justin Bijlow was unable to keep out his low shot, despite getting his arm to the ball in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

The spot kick was awarded after Maxwel Cornet – who had just gone on as a substitute – was adjudged after a VAR check to have kicked Antonio Vergara’s foot after the Napoli midfielder dropped dramatically to the floor.

Højlund’s second goal of the game moved Napoli one point behind AC Milan and six behind Inter Milan. They both have a game in hand.

“We showed that we’re a team that never gives up, even in difficult situations, in emergencies, and despite being outnumbered, we had the determination to win. I’m proud of my players’ attitude, and I thank them and congratulate them because the victory was deserved,” Napoli coach Antonio Conte said, according to The Associated Press.

His team got off to a bad start with goalkeeper Alex Meret bringing down Vitinha after a botched back pass from Alessandro Buongiorno just seconds into the game. A VAR check confirmed the penalty and Ruslan Malinovskyi duly scored from the spot in the second minute.

Scott McTominay was involved in both goals as Napoli replied with a quickfire double. Bijlow saved his first effort in the 20th but Højlund tucked away the rebound, and McTominay let fly from around 20 meters to make it 2-1 a minute later.

However, McTominay had to go off at the break with what looked like a muscular injury, and another mistake from Buongiorno allowed Lorenzo Colombo to score in the 57th for Genoa.

“Scott has a gluteal problem that he’s had since the season started. It gets inflamed sometimes," Conte said of McTominay. "He would have liked to continue, but I preferred not for him to take any risks because he’s a key player for us.”

Napoli center back Juan Jesus was sent off in the 76th after receiving a second yellow card for pulling back Genoa substitute Caleb Ekuban.

Genoa pushed for a winner but it was the visitors who celebrated after a dramatic finale.

"The penalty wasn’t perfect. I was also lucky, but what matters is that we won,” Højlund said.

Fiorentina rues missed opportunity Fiorentina was on course to escape the relegation zone until Torino defender Guillermo Maripán scored deep in stoppage time for a 2-2 draw in the late game.

Fiorentina had come from behind after Cesare Casadei’s early goal for the visitors, with Manor Solomon and Moise Kean both scoring early in the second half.

A 2-1 win would have lifted Fiorentina out of the relegation zone, but Maripán equalized in the 94th minute with a header inside the far post after a free kick for what seemed like a defeat for the home team.

Fiorentina had lost its previous three games, including to Como in the Italian Cup.

Earlier, Juventus announced star player Kenan Yildiz's contract extension through June 2030.


Juventus Ties Down Star Player Kenan Yildiz Until 2030

Turkish player Kenan Yildiz (Reuters)
Turkish player Kenan Yildiz (Reuters)
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Juventus Ties Down Star Player Kenan Yildiz Until 2030

Turkish player Kenan Yildiz (Reuters)
Turkish player Kenan Yildiz (Reuters)

Türkiye midfielder Kenan Yildiz has extended his contract with Juventus through June 2030, the Italian club announced Saturday.

The 20-year-old Yildiz scored on his debut against Frosinone in December 2023. He has since inherited the club’s No. 10 jersey and last year became the youngest player to captain the team.

Altogether Yildiz has scored 25 goals and also set up 19 in 115 appearances over two and half seasons with Juventus. This season he has eight goals and five assists in Serie A.

“Kenan embodies leadership, sacrifice and the constant pursuit of improvement. He is the personification of Juventus’ values, and he carries them onto the pitch in every game he plays,” The Associated Press quoted the club as saying.

Media reports suggested the new deal made Yildiz the best-paid player in the squad.

The German-born Yildiz switched to Juventus Under-19s from Bayern Munich’s youth setup in 2022.