Mourinho Gets Red Card as Fenerbahce Holds Man United to 1-1 Draw in Europa League

Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho greets Manchester United's players prior the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Manchester United at Sukru Saracoglu stadium, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho greets Manchester United's players prior the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Manchester United at Sukru Saracoglu stadium, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
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Mourinho Gets Red Card as Fenerbahce Holds Man United to 1-1 Draw in Europa League

Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho greets Manchester United's players prior the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Manchester United at Sukru Saracoglu stadium, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho greets Manchester United's players prior the Europa League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Manchester United at Sukru Saracoglu stadium, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Jose Mourinho received a red card but his Fenerbahce team still held his former club Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League on Thursday.
Erik ten Hag's squad led early from Christian Eriksen's 15th-minute goal only to see Youssef En-Nesyri equalize in the 49th, heading home unmarked from close range on a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin.
It was United's third straight draw in the second-tier competition.
Mourinho received a red card after his team was not awarded a spot kick around the hour mark, The Associated Press reported.
“My boys played an amazing match,” Mourinho told TNT Sports. “We played against a team that is at a superior level to us. We finished the game with a center-back playing at right-back and a right-back at left-back. We had to do a crazy puzzle but our performance was extraordinary and I couldn’t ask for anything more from the players.”
Mourinho led United to the Europa League title in 2017 during his 2½ years at Old Trafford. He took the Fenerbahce job in this past offseason.
Elsewhere, Richarlison scored a 53rd-minute penalty for Tottenham to beat Alkmaar 1-0 and stay unbeaten in the competition. Alkmaar’s David Møller Wolfe got a red card in the 85th.
Spurs forward Son Heung-min sat out because he was “a bit sore” after Saturday’s 4-1 win over West Ham in the Premier League, manager Ange Postecoglou said.
Anderlecht and Lazio stayed perfect with 2-0 victories — with both opponents reduced to 10 men.
Anderlecht beat Ludogorets at home after Caio Vidal was sent off. Lazio took home three points from Twente when goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall was sent off in the 11th minute.
Porto’s Samu scored his fourth goal of the campaign and Tiago Djaló added another one for Porto to beat Hoffenheim 2-0 for the Portuguese club's first win of the campaign.
Václav Černý scored two goals to lead Rangers to a 4-0 rout of FCSB while Lyon was upset 1-0 at home by Besiktas.
Roma needed a penalty to beat Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 for its first Europa League victory under new coach Ivan Jurić.
Summer signing Artem Dovbyk converted from the spot in the 23rd minute to get the Italian team in the win column after a draw and a loss in the second-tier competition.
Ajax beat Qarabag 3-0 in Baku after the home team was reduced to 10 men in the 15th minute when midfielder Júlio Romão received a straight red card.
Kenneth Taylor scored some 20 minutes later. In the second half, Wout Weghorst converted a penalty and substitute Chuba Akpom put the result beyond doubt in the 77th. Two minutes later, Qarabag went down to nine men when Elvin Jafarguliyev also saw a red card.
Eintracht Frankfurt, the 2022 Europa League winner, got a late goal from substitute Hugo Larsson to edge Latvia’s RFS 1-0.
PAOK came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw with Czech side Viktoria Plzen in Thessaloniki.
Real Sociedad earned its first win, 2-1 away to Maccabi Tel-Aviv in a game played in Belgrade, Serbia due to the regional conflict.
Conference League Chelsea routed Panathinaikos 4-1 in Athens to make it two wins from two in the third-tier Conference League.
João Félix scored twice — his first one set up by Mykhailo Mudryk in the 22nd minute. The visitors added three more in the first 14 minutes of the second half through Mudryk, Felix’s second and Christopher Nkunku’s penalty. Facundo Pellistri netted for Panathinaikos in the 69th.
Jonathan Ikoné’s two goals led Fiorentina past St. Gallen 4-2 in Switzerland and Real Betis played 1-1 with Copenhagen.
Iceland's Vikingur beat Belgium's Cercle Brugge 3-1 to record its first victory in Europe.



Salah ‘Deserves Big Send-Off’, Says Liverpool Boss Slot

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 25, 2026 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds fans as he walks off the pitch after being substituted. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 25, 2026 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds fans as he walks off the pitch after being substituted. (Reuters)
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Salah ‘Deserves Big Send-Off’, Says Liverpool Boss Slot

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 25, 2026 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds fans as he walks off the pitch after being substituted. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 25, 2026 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah applauds fans as he walks off the pitch after being substituted. (Reuters)

Arne Slot said Mohamed Salah "deserves a big send-off" as he confirmed he expected the departing superstar to return from injury before the end of the season.

The Egypt forward, who will leave Anfield at the end of the campaign, was forced off in last weekend's 3-1 win at home to Crystal Palace, prompting fears he may have played his final game for the Reds.

Salah applauded the fans and was given a standing ovation as he made his way off the pitch.

Liverpool confirmed on Wednesday that Salah, 33, had suffered a "minor muscle injury" and was expected to be able to return to action before the campaign comes to an end.

The club travel to face Manchester United on Sunday after three straight wins put them firmly on course for a place in next season's Champions League.

"We expect him to be back in the final part of the season, but not for Sunday," Liverpool boss Slot said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

"It's a big relief that his injury is minor, so that he's able to play for us, that he's able to play at the World Cup.

"And if there's ever a player who deserves to get a big send-off, it's definitely Mo."

Salah has scored 257 goals in 440 appearances since his arrival at Anfield in 2017, behind only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in Liverpool's list of leading goalscorers.

He had a public spat with Slot in December, declaring he had "no relationship" with the Dutchman after being dropped for three consecutive games.

But the Liverpool manager later said he had "no issue to resolve" with the forward returning to the fold.

Liverpool, whose Premier League title defense collapsed dramatically from late September, have four games remaining, starting with their trip to face United.


Japanese Trailblazer Nishikori to Retire at End of Season

Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Thiago Monteiro of Brazil during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Thiago Monteiro of Brazil during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
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Japanese Trailblazer Nishikori to Retire at End of Season

Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Thiago Monteiro of Brazil during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)
Kei Nishikori of Japan reacts after defeating Thiago Monteiro of Brazil during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP)

Kei Nishikori will hang ‌up his racquet at the end of the 2026 season, the 36-year-old said on Friday, bringing down the curtain on a professional career that saw him break new ground for Japanese tennis.

Nishikori became the first Japanese player to reach a Grand Slam singles final at the 2014 US Open and was the second Asian man after Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan to make it into the top 10.

He ‌reached a career-high ‌ranking of number four in ‌2015 ⁠and won 12 ⁠titles on the ATP Tour, but has been plagued by injuries for years and has fallen to 464 in the world rankings.

The last time he was ranked in the top 10 was in October 2019 and last month he admitted he ⁠was "barely hanging on" in terms of physical ‌fitness.

"Reaching the ATP Tour, ‌playing at the highest level of competition and maintaining ‌a presence in the top 10 is something ‌I am extremely proud of," Nishikori wrote in a post on social media.

"Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable ... ‌To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career. Even ⁠so, looking ⁠back on everything up to this point, I can proudly say that I gave it my all.

"I am truly happy to have walked this path. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end."

Nishikori's most recent appearance in a tour-level event came at last year’s Cincinnati Open, though he has played in five Challenger events this year.

He also won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, defeating Spain's Rafael Nadal in three sets.


Villa Coach Emery Hits Out at VAR after Europa League Loss to Forest

30 April 2026, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts after the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa at the City Ground. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
30 April 2026, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts after the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa at the City Ground. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
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Villa Coach Emery Hits Out at VAR after Europa League Loss to Forest

30 April 2026, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts after the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa at the City Ground. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
30 April 2026, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts after the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa at the City Ground. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery was scathing in his criticism of the Video Assistant Referee's (VAR) decisions in the Europa League first-leg tie against Nottingham Forest, taking issue with a tackle by Eliot Anderson.

Anderson made a sliding tackle on Ollie Watkins in which he won the ball but caught the English forward's ankle with his studs, with VAR reviewing the incident briefly before clearing it.

"It's a clear red card - ⁠I don't understand ⁠why the VAR is not calling the referee because it's so clear," Emery said after Thursday's match, which Forest won 1-0 courtesy of a Chris Wood penalty in the 71st minute.

"And it's very, very ⁠important. It's a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible. The referee - fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.

"But I watched it back - wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR - where are you?

Please. It is your responsibility, we are professionals. You are doing very bad work ⁠because it ⁠was so clear for everybody. He could break his ankle."

Despite the severity of the challenge Watkins played the full 90 minutes, a boost for Villa's Champions League hopes for next season as this season comes to a close, Reuters reported.

Watkins is Villa's top goalscorer this season, netting 15 goals so far in all competitions.

Villa, currently fifth in the Premier League table, face relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.