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It Is Going to Be Tough for Champions Senegal, Warns Mane

Senegal star Sadio Mane with the Africa Cup of Nations trophy after winning the 2022 final against Egypt. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP/File
Senegal star Sadio Mane with the Africa Cup of Nations trophy after winning the 2022 final against Egypt. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP/File
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It Is Going to Be Tough for Champions Senegal, Warns Mane

Senegal star Sadio Mane with the Africa Cup of Nations trophy after winning the 2022 final against Egypt. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP/File
Senegal star Sadio Mane with the Africa Cup of Nations trophy after winning the 2022 final against Egypt. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP/File

Senegal captain Sadio Mane predicts that "a really difficult group" lies ahead for the Africa Cup of Nations holders when they face Gambia, Cameroon and Guinea.
"The match against Cameroon is going to be very tough and we dare not underestimate our other opponents," the two-time African Player of the Year told reporters.
"While accepting that none of these matches will be easy, we have the ability and determination to reach the knockout stage," he said ahead of the tournament kick-off on Saturday.
Senegal defeated Cameroon 34 years ago in a group match in Algeria when they first met in the African football showpiece.
But Cameroon have had the upper hand since, winning a quarter-final, then the 2002 final and another quarter-final after penalty shootouts.
Senegal have beaten Guinea twice, but only drew 0-0 against them in the group stage two years ago en route to winning the Cup of Nations for the first time.
The Group C clash between the title-holders and surprise 2022 quarter-finalists Gambia will be the first in the tournament.
Mane, one of several Senegalese stars who joined the lucrative Saudi Pro League this year, admits that while winning two years ago was difficult, retaining the title will be even harder.
"I believe the 2024 Cup of Nations will be the toughest to win because the line-up is the strongest."
The 31-year-old, who reportedly wed his long-time sweetheart Aicha Tamba at a private ceremony this month, was referring to the fact that the top 15 ranked teams have qualified.
'Plotting to dethrone us'
Among the top 20, only Gabon, Uganda and Benin failed to make it to a tournament that will feature 12 former champions, including record seven-time winners Egypt.
"I cannot recall a stronger field. All the giants are going to be in the Ivory Coast and all of them will be plotting to dethrone us," added Mane.
He has won the Club World Cup, Champions League and Premier League with Liverpool, but says none of those triumphs compare with lifting the Cup of Nations trophy in Yaounde two years ago.
"Winning the last AFCON was the greatest moment of my career. No other success compares with it," said Mane, who converted the winning penalty in the final shootout against Egypt.
"It was a special achievement and one I dreamt of since childhood. Our victory had a massive impact on all Senegalese."
Since the Cup of Nations success, Senegal have also won the African Nations Championship for home-based players and the African under-17 and under-20 titles.
Cameroon, whose five titles makes them the second most successful country in the Cup of Nations, are among the most unpredictable qualifiers.
After a draw and loss to minnows Namibia in qualifying, they defeated modest Burundi to scrape through after being lucky not to trail by several goals at half-time.
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana is expected to play at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday -- one day before Cameroon face Guinea in their opening match in Yamoussoukro.
Cameroon coach Rigobert Song will rely on 2022 Cup of Nations leading scorer Vincent Aboubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi for goals after leaving out Bayern Munich forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Guinea hope star forward Serhou Guirassy, scorer of 17 Bundesliga goals for Stuttgart this season, recovers from a thigh injury sustained in a warm-up win over Nigeria.

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Italy Soccer President Resigns after Azzurri Miss Third Straight World Cup

Italy players react after losing in a World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Italy players react after losing in a World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
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Italy Soccer President Resigns after Azzurri Miss Third Straight World Cup

Italy players react after losing in a World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Italy players react after losing in a World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Italy's soccer federation president resigned amid political pressure on Thursday, two days after the Azzurri failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

Gabriele Gravina's decision will likely lead to the ouster of Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, too.

Italy Sports Minister Andrea Abodi called for a change in the country’s soccer leadership after Gravina oversaw two sets of disappointing World Cup qualifiers, The AP news reported.

“It’s evident to everyone that Italian soccer needs to be overhauled,” Abodi said on Wednesday, “and that process needs to start with new leadership at the FIGC (federation).”

Italy’s chances of reaching this year’s tournament in North America ended on Tuesday after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.

Gravina took charge of the federation in 2018 replacing Carlo Tavecchio, who also stepped down after Italy failed to reach that year’s World Cup.

The defeat to Bosnia added more misery for four-time champion Italy after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.

Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014 when it failed to advance from its group on both occasions.

The Azzurri’s last World Cup knockout match was in 2006 when they won the title by beating France in the final after a penalty shootout.

Gravina did oversee Italy’s European Championship trophy in 2021.

An election was called for June 22 to elect a new FIGC president.

Gravina also announced that he would attend a hearing in Italy’s parliament next Wednesday to discuss “the wellbeing of Italian soccer.”

Mancini, Inzaghi, Conte, Allegri Gattuso took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.

The Azzurri then went on a six-match winning streak before losing again to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.

Among those being mentioned to replace Gattuso are Roberto Mancini, Simone Inzaghi, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri.

Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup.

Conte coached Italy at the 2016 European Championship and is currently at Napoli.

Allegri is at AC Milan.

Gravina is a UEFA vice president Gravina is also Aleksander Ceferin’s top vice president at UEFA.

UEFA statutes require that executive committee members are also senior FA officials but Gravina could stay in the UEFA role as a lame duck as long as the FIGC’s new leadership doesn’t demand his removal.

Gravina was re-elected last year by UEFA so he has three more years in his current term.

“Gabriele is my first vice president and is very important to me,” Ceferin said in Thursday’s Gazzetta dello Sport after attending the playoff in Bosnia.

Euro 2032 Besides revitalizing the national team, whoever replaces Gravina will be tasked with getting Italy’s dilapidated stadiums ready to host the 2032 European Championship.

Italy is slated to co-host Euro 2032 with Turkey.

“I hope that the infrastructure is ready,” Ceferin said. “Otherwise the tournament won’t be played in Italy.”

Sports

Salah's Long Goodbye: Egypt Star Begins Farewell Tour with Liverpool at Man City in FA Cup

(FILES) Liverpool's Egyptian forward #11 Mohamed Salah applauds as he leaves the pitch after being substituted during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on March 18, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
(FILES) Liverpool's Egyptian forward #11 Mohamed Salah applauds as he leaves the pitch after being substituted during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on March 18, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
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Salah's Long Goodbye: Egypt Star Begins Farewell Tour with Liverpool at Man City in FA Cup

(FILES) Liverpool's Egyptian forward #11 Mohamed Salah applauds as he leaves the pitch after being substituted during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on March 18, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
(FILES) Liverpool's Egyptian forward #11 Mohamed Salah applauds as he leaves the pitch after being substituted during the UEFA Champions League, round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Galatasaray at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on March 18, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

Mohamed Salah's long goodbye to Liverpool begins on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup, the competition which represents his best chance of a trophy in his final year at Anfield.

The Egypt winger announced last week that he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season after nine years at a club where he has broken scoring records and established himself as one of the world's best players.

Salah potentially has 15 games left in the famous red shirt: Seven in the Premier League as well as three in the FA Cup and five in the Champions League, should Liverpool reach the final in both of those competitions.

That won't be easy.

In the Champions League, defending champion Paris Saint-Germain is up next in the two-leg quarterfinals and it's pretty much as tough in the FA Cup, with Liverpool handed an away match at Manchester City.

Salah, who has 255 goals in 435 appearances for Liverpool, missed the Reds' last game before the international break — a 2-1 loss at Brighton in the league — with a muscle injury but has told manager Arne Slot he should be healthy enough to return this weekend.

“He just does so much for his body for such a long time that he recovers so fast," Slot said on Wednesday. "So, he will train with the team again tomorrow and if everything works well then he’s available to be with us at City.”

The 33-year-old Salah was left out of the Liverpool team for four straight games at the end of 2025 in what appeared to be a breakdown in his relationship with Slot and the club.

Since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, Salah virtually has been an ever-present in the lineup, seemingly winning the Dutch coach round.

“That hunger never drops,” Slot said of Salah. "It's the thing I find most special about him. So many good players around the world — he's definitely one of them in the last 10 years — and to show that hunger every three days, that professionalism, that commitment to the club and to the team, wanting to score again, always wanting to play ...

“When you take him out three minutes before the end, he's like, ‘Ah, maybe I could have scored one extra.’”

City, meanwhile, is seeking a domestic cup double after beating Arsenal in the English League Cup final on March 22. Pep Guardiola's team is also chasing Arsenal in the Premier League, which takes a break this weekend to give the FA Cup its own space in the calendar.

Key matchups

The other FA Cup quarterfinals take place across Saturday and Sunday.

After City-Liverpool in the early kickoff on Saturday, Chelsea hosts third-tier Port Vale — the lowest-ranked team left in the competition — before Arsenal visits second-tier Southampton.

On Sunday, West Ham hosts Leeds in an all-Premier League matchup.

Players to watch Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has less than two months to persuade England coach Thomas Thomas he is worthy of a place in the World Cup squad.

Foden started both of England’s recent friendly games — a draw with Uruguay and a loss to Japan — but failed to impress either in the No. 10 role or as a “false nine," prompting Tuchel to say it's “ not a guarantee ” that Foden will be at the World Cup.

Foden was English soccer's player of the year in the 2023-24 season but has not maintained his top form and has rarely started for City in recent months.

Out of action

Arsenal's team sheet for the Southampton game will be heavily scrutinized, given 10 players missed games for their national team over the international break because of various issues.

Eberechi Eze, Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard already had injuries that caused them to miss the League Cup final, before Piero Hincapie, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Leandro Trossard all pulled out of international duty.

England's Noni Madueke and Spain's Martin Zubimendi missed the second games for their respective countries after reporting injuries.

Off the field

There might be growing disharmony at Chelsea, going off recent comments by two of the team's best players.

Enzo Fernandez said after elimination in the Champions League that he couldn't guarantee being at Chelsea next season, while Marc Cucurella told The Athletic during this international break that the team was “more stable” under coach Enzo Maresca, who was fired in January, and, "If you asked me, I would not have made this decision.”

Liam Rosenior, the current Chelsea coach, is under big pressure after four straight defeats.

Sports

Chelsea Announces Premier League-record Losses of $350M

Chelsea players react disappointed after the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Chelsea in Liverpool, England, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Chelsea players react disappointed after the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Chelsea in Liverpool, England, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
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Chelsea Announces Premier League-record Losses of $350M

Chelsea players react disappointed after the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Chelsea in Liverpool, England, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Chelsea players react disappointed after the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Chelsea in Liverpool, England, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Chelsea made pre-tax losses of 262.4 million pounds ($350 million) in its latest financial results, the club announced Wednesday, a record high in the Premier League era.

Chelsea, whose owners are from US private equity, attributed the losses in part to “increased operating costs” in 2024-25 compared to the previous year.

The previous highest recorded pre-tax loss in the Premier League was the 197.5 million pounds (now $263 million) posted by Manchester City for the 2010-11 season, Britain’s Press Association reported, The AP news reported.

Revenue for the year ending June 30, 2025, was 490.9 million pounds ($650 million), Chelsea said — the second-highest on record for the London club. That included some of the money earned from its title-winning run at the Club World Cup.

Chelsea was deemed to be compliant with the Premier League’s financial rules for the three-year period ending 2024-25, which allows for maximum losses of 105 million pounds ($140 million) over that block. Spending on things like infrastructure, youth development and women’s football, for example, isn’t included when the league assesses clubs’ losses.