West Ham Hire Nuno to Replace Sacked Potter

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football -  FA Cup - Fourth Round Replay - Nottingham Forest v Bristol City - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - February 7, 2024 Nuno Espirito Santo before the match REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round Replay - Nottingham Forest v Bristol City - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - February 7, 2024 Nuno Espirito Santo before the match REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
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West Ham Hire Nuno to Replace Sacked Potter

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football -  FA Cup - Fourth Round Replay - Nottingham Forest v Bristol City - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - February 7, 2024 Nuno Espirito Santo before the match REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round Replay - Nottingham Forest v Bristol City - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - February 7, 2024 Nuno Espirito Santo before the match REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

West Ham hired Nuno Espirito Santo as their new manager just hours after sacking Graham Potter on Saturday.

Nuno, axed by Nottingham Forest earlier this season, agreed a three-year contract with the Premier League strugglers and will take charge of his first game at Everton on Monday.

Potter's exit, which came only nine months after his appointment, was widely expected after the Hammers slumped to second bottom of the table, AFP reported.

"I am very pleased to be here and very proud to be representing West Ham United," Nuno, 51, said.

"My objective is to work hard to get the very best from the team and ensure that we are as competitive as we possibly can be.

"The work has already started and I am looking forward to the challenge that is ahead."

Former Tottenham and Wolves boss Nuno was dismissed by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis three weeks ago after the pair fell out over the club's transfer policy.

Nuno had earned praise for lifting Forest into European competition for the first time in 30 years last season via a seventh-place finish in the Premier League.

The Portuguese coach also impressed at Wolves, helping establish them in the top-flight before leaving for a turbulent 17-match spell at Tottenham that ended in the sack.

Potter managed just three points from West Ham's five league matches this season, while they also crashed out of the League Cup against Wolves.

The former Chelsea and Brighton manager only took the reins at the London Stadium in January, with last season's disappointing 14th place finish putting pressure on him to hit the ground running this season.

Last weekend's home defeat against Crystal Palace proved the final straw.

Potter, who lost five of West Ham's six games this season, was relieved of his duties less than 24 hours after holding his usual pre-match press conference on Friday.

"Results and performances over the course of the second half of last season and the start of the 2025/26 season have not matched expectations," West Ham said in a statement.

"The board of directors believe that a change is necessary in order to help improve the team's position in the Premier League as soon as possible."

Potter won only six of his 25 West Ham matches after replacing Julen Lopetegui, who lasted just 22 matches after taking over from David Moyes, who is now in charge of Everton.

Despite Potter's substantial spending on eight new signings in the summer transfer window, West Ham made a woeful start to the season.

A 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest last month provided some respite, but West Ham went down by the same score to Tottenham after the international break before the Palace loss heralded the end of his dismal spell in charge.

In a statement released soon after his dismissal, Potter hinted he felt he deserved more time.

"I am incredibly disappointed to be leaving West Ham United Football Club, particularly without being able to achieve what we set out to achieve at the start of our journey in East London," said Potter, who lasted less than seven months before being axed as Chelsea boss in 2023.

"I do however fully acknowledge that the results have just not been good enough up to now."



Mercedes' Russell Fastest in First Practice for Japan GP

Mercedes' George Russell was fastest in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Philip FONG / AFP
Mercedes' George Russell was fastest in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Philip FONG / AFP
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Mercedes' Russell Fastest in First Practice for Japan GP

Mercedes' George Russell was fastest in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Philip FONG / AFP
Mercedes' George Russell was fastest in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. Philip FONG / AFP

George Russell went fastest ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli in an eventful first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday as Mercedes continued their dominant start to the Formula One season.

Mercedes have claimed one-two finishes at both grands prix so far and they were again out in front in dry, sunny conditions at Suzuka, AFP reported.

Early championship leader Russell clocked a fastest lap of 1min 31.666sec to pip 19-year-old Antonelli, who won the first grand prix of his career in China two weeks ago, by 0.026sec.

World champion Lando Norris was third, followed by his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, and Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull's four-time world champion Max Verstappen was seventh, 0.791sec off Russell.

Norris, who along with Piastri did not start the Chinese Grand Prix because of a technical issue with his car, came out early but was then grounded for the first half of the session.

Alex Albon lost the nose of his Williams after crashing into Cadillac's Sergio Perez late in the session.

Albon had earlier skidded off the track and driven deep into the gravel before clipping a barrier on his way back.

Verstappen had a wobble when he tried to accelerate out of a corner.

His Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar also struggled, telling his team early in the session that his car was "pulling".

Aston Martin replaced Fernando Alonso with reserve driver Jak Crawford for the session.

Alonso arrived in Japan late following the birth of his first child.


Man City's Rodri Keeps Door Open to Real Madrid Move

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
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Man City's Rodri Keeps Door Open to Real Madrid Move

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Manchester City v Exeter City - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 10, 2026 Manchester City's Rodri celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell/File Photo

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has kept the door open to a possible move to Real Madrid as he enters the final year of his contract with the Premier League club, saying he cannot turn down the world's top teams and that a return to LaLiga would appeal to him.

The 29-year-old Madrid native began his senior career at Villarreal before signing for Atletico Madrid in 2018. He moved to City a year later ⁠and has since ⁠enjoyed a highly successful spell in England, winning the Champions League once and four Premier League titles among a host of major honors.

"Would I like to play in Spain again, in LaLiga, in Madrid? I'd like to return, yes, obviously," Rodri told Onda Cero's Radioestadio Noche program ahead of ⁠Spain's friendly against Serbia on Friday.

"I have a year left on my contract; there will come a point when we'll have to sit down and talk."

Rodri, who is working his way back to top form after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in 2024, said having played for Atletico would not prevent him from making a move to their city rivals.

Former Atletico players to have made that switch include goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and forward Alvaro Morata.

"There are other players who have gone ⁠down that ⁠path - not straight away, but in time. You can't turn down the best clubs in the world," Rodri added, according to Reuters.

Rodri also played down any suggestion of rivalry with Vinicius Jr after Real boycotted the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, when the City midfielder won the award ahead of the Brazilian winger.

"I think they wanted to pit Vinicius and me against each other, but not at all," Rodri said. "I have great respect for him and for everything he did that year too. In the end, it's other people - third parties - who decide who wins the Ballon d'Or."


PSG's Ligue 1 Visit to Lens Postponed to Aid Champions League Preparations

FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
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PSG's Ligue 1 Visit to Lens Postponed to Aid Champions League Preparations

FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 26 November 2024, Bavaria, Munich: Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi in action during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa

Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain's visit to second-placed Lens, set for April 11, has been postponed to May 13 to allow them more time to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said on Thursday.

Strasbourg's visit to Brest, scheduled for April 12, has also been moved to May 13 to help them prepare for ⁠their Europa Conference League ⁠last-eight clashes with Mainz, Reuters quoted the LFP as saying in a statement.

"These decisions are in line with the board of directors’ clear strategic aim of enabling France to retain its fifth place in ⁠the UEFA coefficient rankings, which secures four places in the UEFA Champions League," the LFP said.

PSG, the reigning European champions, host Liverpool three days before the Lens fixture and travel to Anfield for the second leg on April 14.

PSG and Lens are separated by one point in Ligue 1, with ⁠PSG ⁠having a game in hand. Lens had earlier pushed back against PSG's request.

"It seems to us, in fact, that a worrying sentiment is taking hold: that of a French league gradually being relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at the whim of certain parties' European imperatives," Lens said in a statement on Monday.