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Ten Hag Laments Man Utd’s Injuries After Home Loss to Arsenal 

Eric ten Hag manager of Manchester United salute supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Arsenal in Manchester, Britain, 12 May 2024. (EPA)
Eric ten Hag manager of Manchester United salute supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Arsenal in Manchester, Britain, 12 May 2024. (EPA)
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Ten Hag Laments Man Utd’s Injuries After Home Loss to Arsenal 

Eric ten Hag manager of Manchester United salute supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Arsenal in Manchester, Britain, 12 May 2024. (EPA)
Eric ten Hag manager of Manchester United salute supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Arsenal in Manchester, Britain, 12 May 2024. (EPA)

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag blamed an injury crisis at the Old Trafford club for a poor campaign after his side fell to a 1-0 loss to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday - their ninth home defeat across all competitions this season.

United, who have now equaled their tally for most defeats at home in a season, had at least six defenders out through injury, as well as playmaker Bruno Fernandes and forward Marcus Rashford.

Ten Hag, who has been forced to play defensive midfielder Casemiro at center-back in recent matches, has seen his side now concede 82 goals this season in all competitions - their most in a single campaign since 1970-71.

"I don't know where we should be when we had all the players on board, but definitely it is if there are players all on board, then you will get more points," Ten Hag told the club's website.

"Definitely, you will (have) more consistency, especially in the backline because yeah, now we concede a lot of chances, a lot of goals and last year we had the most clean sheets in the Premier League.

"You can't progress a team when, in particular in certain key areas, it is like swimming with your hands behind your back, then you have to keep your head up and above the water level, this is what we are trying to do.

"Still, we are in a cup final, this is good but if you want to progress a team we need fit players. You have seen with our opponent today that only one player for (Arsenal) was not available. We had so many."

United are eighth in the league standings with 54 points. Their remaining league fixtures include a home game against sixth-placed Newcastle United on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

They face Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 25.

The Dutchman, however, said his team produced a much improved performance against Arsenal - who went top of the table after the match - having suffered a 4-0 thumping at Crystal Palace last week.

"I can only be happy. And I think it's a compliment for this team that the ones who played, they executed with all that they could and they were competitive and they were fighting. And then you see you can get a result," he said.

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Sports

Lens Captain Urges Fans to Keep the Faith in Tense Ligue 1 Title Fight with PSG

FILE - Lens' head coach Franck Haise talks to Lens' Florian Sotoca during a French League One soccer match between Marseille and Lens at the Stade Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole. file)
FILE - Lens' head coach Franck Haise talks to Lens' Florian Sotoca during a French League One soccer match between Marseille and Lens at the Stade Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole. file)
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Lens Captain Urges Fans to Keep the Faith in Tense Ligue 1 Title Fight with PSG

FILE - Lens' head coach Franck Haise talks to Lens' Florian Sotoca during a French League One soccer match between Marseille and Lens at the Stade Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole. file)
FILE - Lens' head coach Franck Haise talks to Lens' Florian Sotoca during a French League One soccer match between Marseille and Lens at the Stade Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole. file)

Lens captain Florian Sotoca urged fans to keep believing his team can topple Paris Saint-Germain and win Ligue 1.

Last weekend's 3-2 home loss by Lens to Monaco opened the door for defending champion PSG to go back on top by two points.

The manner of the defeat saw Lens throw away a 2-0 lead by conceding three goals in 10 minutes, and raised questions about whether Lens has what it takes.

“We want to show that it was a blip," The Associated Press quoted Sotoca as saying. “We’re an ambitious team dreaming of going as far as possible.”

As well as chasing its second French title, Lens faces Lyon in the French Cup quarterfinals next week.

Key matchups Lens travels to the Alsace region to face Strasbourg on Friday.

Strasbourg is seventh and can still make the Champions League places with a late push, but coach Gary O'Neil's side remains inconsistent.

PSG plays on Saturday at 13th-placed Le Havre, whose coach Didier Digard hardly sounded confident.

“We have to be realistic. I'd love to make you dream and tell you we’re going to win," said Digard, who played one season in midfield for PSG. "But in reality, Paris, even with injuries, is in a completely different world.”

After its 13-game winning run ended, third-placed Lyon faces a tough match at fourth-placed Marseille on Sunday.

A win for Marseille would close the gap on Lyon to two points.

Players to watch Striker Estéban Lepaul looks to add to his 12 league goals when Rennes hosts Toulouse on Saturday.

Lepaul is one behind Strasbourg's Joaquín Panichelli and two behind Marseille's Mason Greenwood in the scoring charts. But the fact he takes no penalties — compared to five each for his two rivals — makes him comfortably the top scorer from open play.

Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser will be in the spotlight after his sloppy second-half performance last weekend, when a handling error led to Monaco's equalizer.

Dro Fernández could feature again for PSG. The 18-year-old midfielder, who joined from Barcelona, started in the 3-0 win against Metz last weekend.

Brazil forward Endrick was poor against Strasbourg and coach Paulo Fonseca needs him at his best against Marseille.

Out of action Le Havre is missing stalwart defender Loïc Nego due to a calf injury.

PSG is waiting on the fitness of Ousmane Dembélé, who has a similar injury, while Lyon's Argentina left back Nicolás Tagliafico is recovering from a sprained ankle.

Off the field With Metz rock bottom in the league and staring another relegation in the face, supporters have had enough. The club's two main Ultras groups — Horda Frénétik and Gruppa Metz — called for a protest march before Sunday's home outing against Brest.

“Season after season, we experience the same scenario (with) no ambitious long-term sporting project to establish the club permanently in Ligue 1,” the two groups said in a joint statement. "Fatigue has reached its peak.”

Sports

Ronaldo Buys Stake in Spanish Second-division Almeria

Ronaldo at Riyadh airport with the Al-Nassr delegation (club's website)
Ronaldo at Riyadh airport with the Al-Nassr delegation (club's website)
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Ronaldo Buys Stake in Spanish Second-division Almeria

Ronaldo at Riyadh airport with the Al-Nassr delegation (club's website)
Ronaldo at Riyadh airport with the Al-Nassr delegation (club's website)

Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he had acquired a 25 per cent stake in Spanish second-division club Almeria.

"This strategic investment in UD Almeria reflects Ronaldo's long-term commitment to professional football ownership," said a statement from his new sports holding company CR7 Sports Investments which gave no financial details of the deal, AFP reported.

"It has been a long-time ambition of mine to contribute to football," the statement quoted Ronaldo as saying.

Almeria, who were last in the Spanish top flight in 2024, are third in the Spanish second division, one point out of the automatic promotion places.

"Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth."

"I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club's next phase of growth," said Ronaldo, who has played in the Saudi Pro League for Al Nasser since 2023.

Almeria's president, Mohamed Al Khereiji, suggested the player would be particularly be involved in the club's youth program.

"He is considered the best on the pitch," Al Khereiji said. "He knows the Spanish leagues very well and understands the potential of what we are building."

Ronaldo is set to take part in his sixth World Cup next summer although he has suggested that, aged 41, it could be his last World Cup.

Sports

Tchouameni: Real Madrid Victory for 'Everyone against Racism'

Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni (L) and Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis fight for the ball during the UEFA Champions League play-offs second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Benfica in Madrid, Spain, 25 February 2026. EPA/Sergio Perez
Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni (L) and Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis fight for the ball during the UEFA Champions League play-offs second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Benfica in Madrid, Spain, 25 February 2026. EPA/Sergio Perez
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Tchouameni: Real Madrid Victory for 'Everyone against Racism'

Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni (L) and Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis fight for the ball during the UEFA Champions League play-offs second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Benfica in Madrid, Spain, 25 February 2026. EPA/Sergio Perez
Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni (L) and Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis fight for the ball during the UEFA Champions League play-offs second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Benfica in Madrid, Spain, 25 February 2026. EPA/Sergio Perez

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said his team's 2-1 win against Benfica on Wednesday to reach the Champions League last 16 was a victory for "everyone who is against racism".

The Frenchman was referring to the first leg of the play-off tie, which Madrid won 1-0 last week, which was marred by alleged racial abuse aimed at Vinicius Junior by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni.

"We didn't play our best match of the season, that's for sure. But I think there are things more important than this match, and more important than football," Tchouameni told reporters.

Vinicius scored Madrid's second goal at the Santiago Bernabeu and Tchouameni said the result was a "victory for everyone who is against racism".

Prestianni was provisionally suspended by UEFA for the game while the incident is under investigation and Benfica had an appeal against his ban rejected earlier Wednesday.

"The dance continues," wrote Vinicius on social media afterwards, along with a photo of a big banner hung at the Bernabeu reading "no to racism".

Real Madrid said they had thrown out one of their own supporters before the game for performing a Nazi salute.

"This (club) member was identified by the club's security staff moments after appearing on the (television) broadcast and was immediately expelled from the Santiago Bernabeu stadium," AFP quoted Madrid as saying in a statement.

"Real Madrid condemns this type of gesture and expression that incites violence and hatred in sports and society."

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said he was happy when Vinicius found the net.

"(I reacted) with joy obviously, for the great goal he scored, and because it was him, he deserves it," said Arbeloa.

"Without (Kylian) Mbappe I think it's even more important and I am very happy for him."

Before the game Arbeloa said French superstar Mbappe would spend some time out as he recovers from a knee problem.

"After yesterday's session, we talked with the doctors, I spoke with him, and we felt the best thing was for him to stop, to recover 100 percent, and to come back in top shape, confident and without any discomfort for everything that's coming, which is obviously very important," Arbeloa told reporters after the match.

Asked if it was discomfort or an injury, he added: "I think we can call it an injury, but it seems, and I hope, that it's not a very serious injury, nothing major, and that he'll be able to come back in a few days or weeks."