Arteta: Arsenal in High Spirits for Run-in

(FILES) Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives ahead of kick-off in the UEFA Champions League, last 16 second leg football match between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium in north London on March 17, 2026. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP)

London: Asharq Al Awsat

11:10-14 May 2026 AD ـ 29 Thul-Qi’dah 1447 AH

London: Asharq Al Awsat

11:10-14 May 2026 AD ـ 29 Thul-Qi’dah 1447 AH

Arteta: Arsenal in High Spirits for Run-in

Arsenal's season appeared on the brink of collapse last month but a run of good results has worked wonders for their mood, with manager Mikel Arteta saying on Thursday that his team are entering the season's final games in the perfect state of mind.

A League Cup final defeat by title rivals Manchester City in March was followed by a FA Cup quarter-final loss to second-tier Southampton, which ended Arsenal's pursuit of a quadruple.

They were also briefly knocked off the top of the Premier League by City, but four wins in five games across all competitions means the London club enter their penultimate league fixture with a two-point lead.

They ⁠have also sealed ⁠a spot in the Champions League final, where they will take on holders Paris St Germain.

"The team is really present. It's living the moment. It's emotionally in a really good state. The energy level is the right one," Arteta told reporters ahead of a home game against Burnley on Monday.

"We have most players available now. OK, ⁠we lost Ben White the other day but the other ones are coming back as well. Everyone is so enthusiastic and so positive about the way we can finish the season."

Arteta confirmed that defender White had suffered a long-term injury, leaving Arsenal short-staffed at right back with Jurrien Timber also sidelined.

"We need to look at alternatives. The two players we have are not available at the moment. So we need to look and do something else," the Spanish manager added.

"The good thing is that we have experienced that all over the ⁠pitch this ⁠season, because when we have had issues, normally they've been in the same position as well, and we have still managed to find the right level of performance and consistency, so I'm sure we will do that."

Arsenal lead the standings with 79 points from 36 games, two ahead of City, but Pep Guardiola's side have a superior goal difference.

Asked if Arsenal needed to score more in the event that goal difference decided the title, Arteta said: "First we have to earn the right to win the game. Obviously if you can make a difference with more goals, that's even better...

"But we know ideally that scoring goals is going to be important."

Ramos Fires Holders Portugal to Nations League Win in Norway

Football - Nations League - Group A4 - Norway v Portugal - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - September 27, 2026 Portugal's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring their second goal. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via Reuters)

00:24-28 September 2026 AD ـ 17 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Ramos Fires Holders Portugal to Nations League Win in Norway

Goncalo Ramos started in place of Cristiano Ronaldo and scored the winner as Portugal made it back-to-back victories to start their UEFA Nations League title defense by beating Norway 2-1 in Oslo on Sunday.

Jorge Jesus's men have responded well to their tame World Cup last-16 loss to Spain, having also beaten Wales 1-0 in Group A4 on Thursday.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo was named among the substitutes for the first time for Portugal since a Nations League game against Scotland in September 2024, and did not get onto the pitch as Jesus looks to manage his minutes across an expanded international break.

His replacement Ramos showed what he could do with his 12th international goal and an industrious performance.

"Every moment is important. The most important thing is to show what I can do whenever I'm called upon and to contribute to the team," Ramos told Sport TV.

"It was a demonstration of my work, of what I can offer the team -- not just goals, but everything I do on the pitch."

World Cup quarter-finalists Norway were left to rue some wasteful finishing in front of goal as they failed to build on their opening 3-2 win over Denmark.

The first big chance fell to Erling Haaland, but the Manchester City striker mishit his attempted volley after being picked out by Martin Odegaard, and Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa was able to make the save.

The away team quickly made Haaland pay as Joao Felix stroked a fine finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the box in the 17th minute.

Haaland looked certain to equalize shortly afterwards when Costa spilled the ball into his path, but he was denied by a superb block from his City teammate Ruben Dias.

The Norway talisman was foiled by Costa again 10 minutes before half-time as the 'keeper made an excellent stop from his downward header.

Haaland finally converted six minutes into the second half, tapping in from Patrick Berg's header across goal.

But Norway gave back the lead immediately to their opponents, as goalkeeper Orjan Nyland passed the ball straight to Ramos, who coolly chipped it into the net.

Rafael Leao had a shot deflected onto the crossbar as Portugal pushed to make the game safe.

Nyland had his blushes spared when a VAR review ruled out another opportunistic Ramos effort for the tightest of offsides.

The 'keeper waited for a long pass over the top to reach him, then took a swipe at thin air as Ramos got to the ball before him and rolled it into an empty net.

Norway threw everyone forward, including Nyland, in the closing stages, but could not find another leveler.

Sports

Ireland Beat Israel but No Handshakes Due to War in Gaza

27 September 2026, Hungary, Debrecen: Ireland's Troy Parrott celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League Group A4 soccer match between Israel and Republic of Ireland at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen. (dpa)

22:53-27 September 2026 AD ـ 16 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Ireland Beat Israel but No Handshakes Due to War in Gaza

Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in a Nations League clash on Sunday amid an eerie and somber atmosphere that saw the Irish players wear black armbands over the war in Gaza.

Ireland's players also bowed their heads as the Israeli national anthem was played at the near-empty Debrecen stadium in Hungary.

The teams skipped the traditional pre-match handshakes and did not exchange pennants either.

Troy Parrott made a heart sign with his hands after opening the scoring on 14 minutes, while Jack Moylan kissed the Irish badge on his jersey and his black armband after netting the third goal 25 minutes in.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Ireland of being "on the wrong side of history" over the players' actions.

In a lengthy post on X, Saar referenced the Irish team of 1939 giving the Nazi salute ahead of a match against Germany in Bremen.

He also referred to Irish neutrality during the Second World War and the condolences offered by then-prime minister Eaemon de Valera to the German representative in Dublin following Adolf Hitler's death.

"Almost 90 years have passed. Ireland's unique talent for finding itself on the wrong side of history remains intact," he added.

The game, in which Israel were the nominal hosts, had been in doubt earlier in the week until Ireland's players voted overwhelmingly to fulfill the fixture, despite pressure from back home to boycott the match.

Only one player, goalkeeper Gavin Buzunu, pulled out, saying "it would be wrong to participate" in either this match or the return fixture in Serbia on October 4 due to the "killing of innocent people".

The Irish federation did not reserve any tickets for fans to attend the match and public broadcaster RTE was due to show it without commentary.

"Sports, soccer, basketball, everything is for the public, the people, and not for politics," 31-year-old software development teacher Mol Michael, draped in an Israeli scarf, told AFP.

"Once you decide, because of politics, to cancel the Irish audience, this is a really stupid move from Ireland, in my opinion."

Ireland has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, with sympathy often linked to the country's own history of British rule.

Dublin formally recognized a Palestinian state in 2024 alongside Spain and Norway, and has repeatedly criticized Israel over the Gaza conflict.

Israel strongly rejects allegations its conduct in Gaza amounts to genocide.

Sports

Greece Hand Klopp First Defeat as Germany Manager

Football - Nations League - Group A2 - Germany v Greece - WWK Arena, Augsburg, Germany - September 27, 2026 Germany coach Jurgen Klopp reacts at the end of the match. (Reuters)

22:49-27 September 2026 AD ـ 16 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1448 AH

Greece Hand Klopp First Defeat as Germany Manager

Football - Nations League - Group A2 - Germany v Greece - WWK Arena, Augsburg, Germany - September 27, 2026 Germany coach Jurgen Klopp reacts at the end of the match. (Reuters)

Jurgen Klopp tasted defeat for the first time as Germany manager as his side lost 1-0 to Greece in Augsburg on Sunday, with Dimitrios Kourbelis scoring the only goal.

In his first game on home soil, Klopp's side offered little in attack and lacked the energy they had displayed on the former Liverpool coach's debut in a 1-1 away draw with the Netherlands on Thursday.

The Germans had struggled to find a way through the Greek defense for the opening hour before the visitors broke through on the counter, with Kourbelis scoring in the 74th minute.

It was Greece's first ever win against Germany.

"Personally, I'm completely unbothered by it. I've lost far more matches in my life than I would have liked," Klopp told ARD.

"But as long as you draw the right conclusions, a loss is ultimately just a piece of information -- no different from a win.

"We absolutely need these kinds of matches -- they are exactly the games we wanted to have."

Germany captain Joshua Kimmich added: "He's been very clear about what he wants -- as players, we need to implement it."

- 'Very hyped' -

Several regulars missed out with Klopp trying to get a better idea of the talent at his disposal, but the defeat illustrated the scale of his task in reviving the flagging giants.

The 59-year-old took over Germany in July after the four-time World Cup winners were eliminated at the last-32 stage of the global showpiece in North America, their third consecutive early exit from the tournament.

"I think the important thing is that we stand together and that won't change," said Germany center-back Jonathan Tah.

"Of course, with the enthusiasm surrounding the new coach, things can get very hyped up from the outside, but ultimately, it comes down to what we do on the pitch and how we perform."

Klopp had included 16 uncapped players in his 44-man squad as he warned that he would be using the competition to have a look at the players at his disposal.

Among the five alterations to his starting XI was Hoffenheim forward Bambase Conte, a shock call-up after playing just four top-flight matches.

Conte looked sharp and shot just wide with two minutes gone.

Barcelona forward Karim Adeyemi had the best chance of the opening half when he stormed past the Greek defense on the counter, but sprayed his shot just over the crossbar.

Conte was again dangerous after the break, forcing a low fingertip save from Greek goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis.

With Germany dominating possession but offering little in attack, the visitors grew bolder and more incisive on the counter and should have taken the lead when Fotis Ioannidis blasted wide of the goal with just Alexander Nuebel to beat.

Greece broke through moments later, however, when Kourbelis's low shot took a wicked deflection off Joshua Kimmich and rolled into the bottom left corner.

Greece then held firm for a breakthrough win over Germany, after seven defeats and three draws dating back to 1960.

Arteta: Arsenal in High Spirits for Run-in

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