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Emery Hoping Magic of Europe Can Kickstart Villa’s Season

Football - UEFA Europa League - Aston Villa Press Conference - Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Bodymoor Heath, Britain - September 24, 2025 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - UEFA Europa League - Aston Villa Press Conference - Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Bodymoor Heath, Britain - September 24, 2025 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Emery Hoping Magic of Europe Can Kickstart Villa’s Season

Football - UEFA Europa League - Aston Villa Press Conference - Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Bodymoor Heath, Britain - September 24, 2025 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - UEFA Europa League - Aston Villa Press Conference - Bodymoor Heath Training Ground, Bodymoor Heath, Britain - September 24, 2025 Aston Villa manager Unai Emery during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters)

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will hope another big European night can ignite his team after a poor start to the season in which they are yet to win a Premier League game.

Spaniard Emery returns to the Europa League on Thursday - a competition he has won four times - when his team host Bologna under the Villa Park lights in their opening group match.

Villa also hosted the Italian team in last season's Champions League, winning 2-0, but now find themselves in Europe's secondary club tournament.

The excitement may not quite be the same as last season when Villa played in the top level of European club competition for the first time since 1982-83, but for Emery it remains special.

"It is fantastic to play in Europe. I really love playing in Europe and I am so grateful that Aston Villa is giving me the project to play in Europe," said Emery, who won the Europa League three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.

"I told the players, for me, Europe is always a dream. To share it with the supporters - two years ago in the Conference League, Villa Park was always amazing. Last year in the Champions League, the same," he added in his pre-match press conference.

"I think the supporters will be excited about this competition as well, like I am."

Despite their poor start to the season in which they have scored once in five Premier League games, Villa will be regarded as one of the favourites for the Europa League, the winners of which earn a place in next season's Champions League.

"Our aim is to get in the top eight positions and we're starting tomorrow," Emery said.

Defender Ezri Konsa said Villa's start has not been good enough but denied there had been crisis meetings and hopes they can turn the page on Thursday.

"Things haven't been good so far for us this season, but there are blips in a season and we're going through that now," the England international said.

"Hopefully we can move on from that. We've been in these positions before. Last season we went eight games without a win, so we know what it takes to get that win."

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Sports

Beckham Becomes First British Billionaire Sportsman

David Beckham. (Reuters)
David Beckham. (Reuters)
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Beckham Becomes First British Billionaire Sportsman

David Beckham. (Reuters)
David Beckham. (Reuters)

Former Manchester United and England star David Beckham has become Britain's first billionaire sportsman, according to the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List.

Beckham and his wife Victoria's collective wealth reached an estimated £1.185 billion ($1.583 billion) this year, the Rich List compilers said.

That moved them into second place in the list of the UK's wealthiest sportspeople, behind the family of ex-Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, whose wealth was valued at £2 billion.

Beckham, who retired from playing in 2013, is a co-owner of Inter Miami, estimated to be Major League Soccer's most valuable club at £1.07 billion.

The 51-year-old also has lucrative brand ambassador roles for companies including Adidas and Hugo Boss.

Beckham captained England and won the Premier League and Champions League during a glittering career with United, before spells at Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

Victoria Beckham's wealth has largely been generated from her fashion label after she originally found fame as a member of pop band The Spice Girls.

Joining Beckham on the Rich List, seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is fifth on the list, having built a fortune the Rich List calculated at £435 million.

Reigning Masters golf champion Rory McIlroy is seventh with a £325 million valuation.

Boxer Anthony Joshua is placed at eighth with a fortune of £240 million, one place above his heavyweight rival Tyson Fury, who is ninth on £162 million.

Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane and retired former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray are joint 10th with £110 million each.

Among business people with sporting associations, Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has dropped down the overall Rich List.

His fortune shrank by £1.85 billion, according to the list compilers, to £15.194 billion.

The list compilers lowered the value of Ratcliffe's petrochemicals company INEOS to £17 billion owing to "rising debt, falling revenues and a loss of £515.7 million".

Promoters Barry and Eddie Hearn have joined Britain's billionaire club, with their combined wealth estimated at £1.035 billion.

Barry is the founder and president of Matchroom Sport, one of the leading promoters in boxing, darts and snooker, while his son Eddie is chairman of the organization.

Sports

Coleman to Leave Everton at End of Season after 17 Years

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Southampton - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - May 18, 2025 Everton's Seamus Coleman reacts after being substituted after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Southampton - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - May 18, 2025 Everton's Seamus Coleman reacts after being substituted after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
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Coleman to Leave Everton at End of Season after 17 Years

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Southampton - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - May 18, 2025 Everton's Seamus Coleman reacts after being substituted after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v Southampton - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - May 18, 2025 Everton's Seamus Coleman reacts after being substituted after sustaining an injury REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Seamus Coleman will bring the curtain down on his 17-year Everton career at the end of the season when his contract expires, the Premier League club said on Friday.

The 37-year-old right back, who joined from Irish side Sligo Rovers in January 2009, holds the club record for most Premier League appearances with 372 from his 433 games across all competitions.

"After more than 17 years ⁠at this great ⁠football club, I've decided this season will be my last as a player here," AFP quoted Coleman as saying in a statement.

"I want to thank the fans for their unbelievable support. You've helped me in more ⁠ways than you could imagine. I've always tried my best to put Everton Football Club first and you all mean the world to me."

He captained the side in 140 games, earning admiration from supporters who valued his commitment.

However, injuries have limited the defender's impact in recent seasons, with just one Premier League start this campaign – ⁠a ⁠brief 10-minute appearance against Manchester United before being substituted.

Coleman said he would take time during the close season to consider his future, with Everton offering him the option of a coaching role.

"To think I've gone on to make the most Premier League appearances for Everton and to become captain of this great football club – it was beyond my wildest dreams," he said.

Sports

Five Things to Look Out for in La Liga This Weekend

Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
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Five Things to Look Out for in La Liga This Weekend

Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo - Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - May 9, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)

With Barcelona crowned champions for a second consecutive season, attention in La Liga turns to other matters in the penultimate round of fixtures, including a gripping relegation battle.

AFP Sport picks out five things to look out for this weekend in the Spanish top flight.

Griezmann's farewell

French forward Antoine Griezmann could not end his time at Atletico brandishing a trophy as he would have loved, but will still receive a warm goodbye from the club's supporters this weekend.

Diego Simeone's side host Girona in their final match at the Metropolitano stadium before Griezmann heads to the United States to play for MLS side Orlando City.

"We have had a genius with us for many years, and hopefully, we can give him a great send-off," said Simeone this week.

Griezmann is Atletico's all-time top goalscorer over two spells at the club totaling a decade in red and white.

Relegation tightrope

La Liga's bottom half is bunched together extremely tightly, meaning several teams are looking over their shoulders at the relegation zone.

Salvation is not guaranteed for teams between 10th and 19th place, with only Real Oviedo so far guaranteed to go down.

Several sides have been in the bottom three in recent weeks and keep changing places.

Record seven-time Europa League winners Sevilla have recently surged towards safety with three straight wins, but face Real Madrid this weekend.

Espanyol failed to win for 18 straight games before beating Athletic Bilbao this week, while Alaves moved out of the drop zone with a win against champions Barca.

Mallorca and Levante start the weekend placed 18th and 19th respectively, but it's anybody's guess who will be in there by Sunday night.

Barca perfect at home

Hansi Flick's newly crowned champions lost at Alaves in midweek to scupper their target of matching the La Liga record of 100 points, but can still finish at home on a high against Real Betis.

The Catalan giants have won every single home match in the top flight this season and would complete the set by beating Manuel Pellegrini's team, who have already sealed qualification for the Champions League.

After playing the first months of the season at Montjuic's Olympic stadium and even hosting a couple of games at the tiny Johan Cruyff training ground stadium, Barca finally returned to their partially rebuilt Camp Nou home in November last year.

This might also be striker Robert Lewandowski's final home match for Barcelona, with the Polish veteran out of contract in the summer.

Getafe Euro charge

Jose Bordalas's Getafe are a team often derided for their direct style of play and physical approach, but despite the limitations of their squad they are on the brink of reaching European competition.

They last competed in the Europa League in the 2019-20 season.

"I have no words to describe the outrageous thing this team is doing," said the proud coach after beating Mallorca on Wednesday.

Getafe are seventh, which would take them into next season's Conference League, but trail sixth-placed Celta Vigo, in a Europa League spot, by just two points with two games to go.

Golden boot battle

Because of injury issues in the second half of the season and Real Madrid's inconsistent form, Kylian Mbappe's lead in the top scorer standings has been whittled down.

The French forward has 24 goals, leading Mallorca target man Vedat Muriqi by just two, with two games remaining.

The islanders are still fighting for survival and Kosovan striker Muriqi is their main weapon in a key battle against Levante.