Sports
Galatasaray add firepower with Leroy Sane in blockbuster transfer
Turkish Süper Lig champions Galatasaray have landed German winger Leroy Sane, a marquee signing that underscores the club’s ambitions to shake Europe and tighten their grip on domestic dominance.
Sane, 29, arrived in Istanbul on Thursday to finalize his sensational free transfer from Bayern Munich.
Touching down at Istanbul Atatürk Airport aboard a private jet, he was met by a raucous sea of yellow and red – Galatasaray ultras chanting, waving flags, and setting off flares in scenes more fitting for a title win than a summer signing.
Sane was clearly moved.
Moments after emerging from the terminal, he joined in the traditional “üçlü” chant, instantly connecting with the supporters. “I felt the energy,” he said later. “The fans, the passion – I couldn’t ignore it.”
That passion had first caught his attention two seasons earlier. In 2023, while playing for Bayern Munich in a Champions League clash at Rams Park, Sane experienced what he now calls a turning point.
“It was one of the loudest atmospheres I’ve ever played in,” he recalled. “It stayed with me. So when Galatasaray came calling, it just felt right.”
The club officially confirmed the talks with a filing to Türkiye’s Public Disclosure Platform (KAP): “Professional footballer Leroy Aziz Sane’s transfer negotiations with our club have officially commenced.”
What followed was a carefully orchestrated operation. Sporting director Abdullah Kavukcu, coach Okan Buruk, and club president Dursun Özbek each played key roles in wooing the German international, who turned down other suitors across Europe.
“I had options,” Sane admitted. “But Galatasaray stood out. They showed real intent. The club’s stature, the energy around it – everything aligned.”
While the medical and final paperwork remain, Sane’s signing is all but sealed. Contract length and salary details remain under wraps, though his Bayern deal expires July 1, meaning the Istanbul giants will pay no transfer fee – an extraordinary coup for a player of his pedigree.
Career built on speed and silverware
Born in Essen in 1996, Sane has left a trail of dazzled defenders from Gelsenkirchen to Manchester and Munich.
He burst onto the scene with Schalke 04, making 57 appearances and scoring 13 goals between 2014 and 2016.
That promise earned him a move to Manchester City, where under Pep Guardiola’s system, he flourished: 135 games, 39 goals, 45 assists, and two Premier League titles.
In 2020, Sane returned home to join Bayern Munich. Over five seasons, he lifted three Bundesliga titles and a Champions League crown, racking up 48 goals and 50 assists in 174 matches.
And now, Galatasaray.
What Sane brings to the Lions
Under coach Okan Buruk, Galatasaray is building something formidable. Fresh off back-to-back league titles, the Lions are hungry for European respect – and Sane may be the catalyst.
His versatility on both wings, eye for goal, and elite experience make him a dangerous addition alongside the likes of Mauro Icardi and Victor Osimhen. He adds depth, yes, but also something harder to measure: belief.
The club’s supporters seem to know it. X exploded with excitement. “Game-changer,” read one post. “A signing that says we belong at Europe’s top table,” said another.
The Turkish press has also hailed the move as a masterstroke, praising the board’s ambition in luring a player still in his prime, without spending a cent on a fee.
Sane is expected to undergo a routine medical before putting pen to paper. An official unveiling could follow within days, potentially in front of a packed crowd at Rams Park.
Lionel Messi takes center stage again as Inter Miami face Egypt’s Al-Ahly in the opening match of FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup, launching a bold 32-team experiment designed to reshape global club football.
But while FIFA President Gianni Infantino touts the tournament as a “new era,” cracks beneath the glitter hint at a bumpy ride.
The tournament opens at Hard Rock Stadium and runs through July 13 with 63 matches sprawled across 11 U.S. cities, ending at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Designed to mirror the prestige of the World Cup, the event brings together clubs from six continents – from Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds to Brazil’s Fluminense – with Infantino framing it as a long-overdue global showcase.
“Think of legends like George Weah,” Infantino said. “He never played in a World Cup. This gives clubs and players from all corners of the world their shot.”
Billion-dollar bet
Backed by a $1 billion broadcasting deal with DAZN, FIFA has pledged free worldwide streaming – a rare offer in elite sports.
Over 130 countries have already secured tickets, with the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Canada leading the charge.
Fans from Europe and Asia, particularly France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Portugal, are also joining the frenzy.
Yet, that enthusiasm isn’t quite translating to ticket sales inside stadiums.
Shrinking hype
Despite early fanfare, empty stands loom large.
Ticket prices have nosedived: Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly seats once priced at $349 now go for under $80.
Dynamic pricing, meant to follow demand, has instead left fans fuming.
Some early buyers saw their seats moved without a clear explanation, with FIFA citing vague “stadium optimizations.”
Entire sections at Lumen Field and Lincoln Financial Field have been shut, though FIFA declined to confirm if sales were behind the decision.
Infantino brushed off criticism, blaming the fluctuations on the sport’s growing pains in the U.S. “We’ll have full stadiums,” he claimed. “Be part of history.”
Cramped schedule
For players, the Club World Cup is more burden than bonus.
Slotted into an already congested calendar, the tournament is pushing elite players, already fatigued from club and international duties, to their limits.
Messi, still active in MLS, faces sweltering Miami heat and tight turnarounds.
Top clubs like PSG, Bayern Munich and Manchester City arrive with squads battered from European campaigns.
Critics accuse FIFA of sacrificing player welfare for commercial gain. Infantino disagrees: “You can’t put a price on growing the game.”
With summer temperatures soaring above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius) in some cities, and humidity draining legs fast, concerns mount over heat-related risks. FIFA has yet to confirm hydration breaks or additional safety measures.
Safety fears and the politics of play
Security will be under the microscope as Border Patrol and federal agencies coordinate with FIFA in the wake of recent unrest in U.S. cities.
The opening match follows last year’s Copa America final at Hard Rock, marred by fans breaching gates.
A now-deleted CBP post promised agents would be “suited and booted” at stadiums. FIFA insists it’s prepared.
“The most important thing is fan safety,” Infantino said. “We’re working with all necessary authorities.”
But the political undertone is hard to ignore. For international fans – especially from countries scrutinized by U.S. immigration policies – the atmosphere may feel tense.
Logistics, disconnects, cultural clashes
Eleven host cities across thousands of miles – from Seattle to Miami – make for a logistical headache. International fans face high travel costs and limited public transit options. Noon kickoffs and unfamiliar clubs aren’t helping.
American fans, more attuned to NFL rivalries than African or Asian clubs, might not flock to watch Urawa Red Diamonds or Al-Ahly.
Student ticket promotions and slashed prices aim to fill seats, but the struggle for atmosphere remains real.
Infantino dismissed the backlash with a smirk: “Too high, too low – FIFA gets criticized either way.”
Despite missteps, the Club World Cup still holds promise.
Young stars from Africa, Asia, and North America will share the field with global icons in what could become a new fixture in football’s calendar.
If FIFA can fix the potholes – ticketing, travel, safety, and scheduling – this could be more than a flash in the pan.
“This is football’s next chapter,” Infantino declared. “It begins now.”
Poland’s national football team coach, Michal Probierz, announced his resignation Thursday, just days after a public fallout with star striker Robert Lewandowski.
“In light of recent developments, I’ve concluded that stepping down is the best decision for the good of the national team,” Probierz said in a statement released by the Polish Football Association.
The move came after Probierz stripped Lewandowski of the captaincy ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier against Finland earlier this week, handing the armband to Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski.
Lewandowski responded by saying he would no longer play for the national team as long as Probierz remained head coach. Poland went on to suffer an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Finland, putting its qualification hopes in jeopardy.
The 36-year-old Lewandowski, who has played a record 158 games for his country and is the leading scorer with 85 goals, is widely regarded as the most outstanding player in the history of Polish football.
He pulled out of last Friday’s friendly against Moldova, citing fatigue from a La Liga title-winning season with Barcelona.
Probierz, who took over in September 2023 following the disappointing tenure of Fernando Santos, managed to secure qualification for the 2024 European Championship but has since struggled to maintain form.
Polish Football Association President Cezary Kulesza summoned Probierz on Wednesday to discuss the situation.
“I give coaches a lot of freedom, but with that comes responsibility. I expect results, first and foremost,” Kulesza said. “These were difficult days for the fans of the national team.”
Ferrari may be struggling in Formula One, but the Italian marque heads into this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans as the favorite, eyeing a third straight victory in endurance racing’s crown jewel.
Tennis legend Roger Federer will serve as the celebrity starter, waving the flag to kick off the 93rd edition of the legendary race at 4 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. GMT) on Saturday.
Over the next 24 hours, 21 elite hypercars will battle through daylight, darkness and dawn, covering more than 300 laps – over 4,000 kilometers – in front of a sellout crowd of 320,000 fans fueled by caffeine and beer.
Ferrari ended a 50-year hiatus with a stunning win in the centenary race in 2023 and successfully defended its title last year.
The Prancing Horse stable ended Toyota’s run of five consecutive wins from 2018 to 2022. The Japanese manufacturer now seeks to reclaim its crown 40 years after its first Le Mans appearance.
A shake-up in regulations for 2023 sparked renewed interest in the premier class. This year, Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche face stiff competition from Aston Martin, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine and Peugeot.
Ferrari’s position as the team to beat is bolstered by a strong start to the season, reeling off wins in the first three World Endurance Championship races in Qatar, Imola and Belgium.
But Antonio Fuoco, who took the checkered flag last year alongside Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, is taking nothing for granted.
“Compared to last year, everyone is closer to the other. It’s going to be a tough battle,” said the 29-year-old Italian driver.
Ferrari team manager Batti Pregliasco is wary of the threat posed by Toyota.
“The idea of winning a third Le Mans in a row would be magnificent,” he said.
“But the Toyotas are very strong here because they have the experience, the ability and the means to win.”
Bittersweet memories drive De Vries
Nyck de Vries, who shared driving duties in the Toyota that finished second in 2024, is hungry for redemption.
“Finishing second last year was a great result, but after such a long race with so many different emotions, it felt bitter-sweet. We want to put that right this year,” said De Vries, who was summarily dropped by Red Bull’s then-AlphaTauri sister team midway through the 2023 Formula One season.
De Vries is one of several former F1 drivers – including 2009 world champion Jenson Button – lured by the chance to etch their name onto Le Mans’ roll of honor, as Fernando Alonso did for Toyota in 2018 and 2019. The veteran Spaniard joined a prestigious group that includes Graham Hill, Phil Hill and Jochen Rindt.
Joining the 21 hypercars are 17 entries in the LMP2 class and 24 in the LMGT3 category in an event that has not been without tragedy – 22 drivers have died in its history.
Le Mans, where cars have hit eye-watering speeds of up to 400 kph on the Sarthe circuit’s Mulsanne Straight, also marks the 70th anniversary of the 1955 disaster. That year, debris from Pierre Levegh’s car rained down on the crowd, killing 81 spectators – although the exact toll was never definitively established.
It serves as a somber reminder of the dangers facing the 186 drivers competing this weekend – including the all-women Iron Dames LMGT3 team of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey and Celia Martin.
The encouraging news for this brave bunch is that the French national weather service forecasts a dry and calm weekend, with no rain or storms expected as qualifying for pole position begins Thursday night.
Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu has thrown his full backing behind the Crescent-Stars head coach Vincenzo Montella, revealing that the Italian tactician not only enjoys deep-rooted respect in the squad, but sees himself as part of the country’s cultural fabric – so much so that even his daughter now wears the national jersey.
Speaking during the national team’s U.S. training camp in North Carolina, Hacıosmanoğlu painted a vivid picture of a tight-knit, college-like spirit that Montella has nurtured inside the Turkish setup.
“He’s not just a coach, he’s one of us,” Hacıosmanoğlu said. “The players love him, we love him. It’s not a boss-employee dynamic; it’s a friendship. We walk together.”
The bond, it seems, goes beyond the dressing room. Montella recently showed a video of his daughter, surrounded by American friends, cheering for Türkiye in national colors during their friendly against the U.S., even flashing the iconic Bozkurt gesture.
“If a foreign coach’s child is feeling that connection from afar,” Hacıosmanoğlu said, “then he’s passed that love for Türkiye to his family. He truly feels Turkish.”
Hacıosmanoğlu made it clear that Montella has no plans to leave. “He’ll serve for many years,” he said. “That’s his only goal.”
Golden generation
The TFF boss believes Türkiye has the talent, heart, and now the harmony to qualify directly for the next FIFA World Cup.
He cited the Euro 2024 journey, especially the dominant win over Austria, as evidence of their potential. “After we beat Austria, I thought we were on our way to the final,” he said. “The loss to the Netherlands hurt – my 9-year-old daughter saw my reaction and told me, ‘Don’t be angry, Baba, become the football boss and win the World Cup.’ That pure faith pushed me to run for TFF president just 12 days before the election.”
He stressed that this current crop of players should form the national backbone for at least a decade.
“This generation will stick together for over 10 years,” he said, singling out captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu. “Hakan is the brain of the team – a character shaped by pain and perseverance. He lost two Champions League finals, but we told him: ‘You’re destined to lift the World Cup instead.’”
A new kind of ‘lejyoner’ pride
According to Hacıosmanoğlu, this is a new era of Turkish talent. “We used to talk about other teams filled with ‘lejyoner’ players,” he said. “Now, we’re that team. Wherever we go, local fans fight to take photos with Kenan Yıldız. That’s pride. We need more of that.”
On Gaza, Guardiola, and conscience
Shifting from football to humanity, Hacıosmanoğlu praised high-profile coaches like Pep Guardiola and Roberto Mancini for condemning violence in Gaza and urged others to follow suit.
“This isn’t about religion,” he said. “If you can’t feel for slaughtered children, you’re not human. Today it’s our children, tomorrow it could be yours.”
He expressed disappointment in wealthy Muslim nations’ tepid responses to the crisis, urging solidarity and moral courage. “If they united, this suffering would end,” he said. “May God awaken their conscience.”
Türkiye’s national football team suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Mexico in their first-ever meeting, a physical friendly at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Despite dominating large stretches of the match and outshooting Mexico by a 3-to-1 margin, Vincenzo Montella’s men lacked finishing precision – a shortcoming that proved costly.
First-half slip
Mexico’s Orbelin Pineda netted the lone goal in the 45th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse following a long throw-in from Jesus Gallardo.
Luis Romo teed up Pineda near the penalty spot, and the midfielder calmly slotted it past Turkish keeper Berke Özer to make it 1-0.
Türkiye had shown promise earlier.
Midfielder Kaan Ayhan and İsmail Yüksek each tested Mexico’s Luis Malagon with powerful strikes in the opening 20 minutes.
A disallowed goal for offside in the 24th minute gave Mexico an early scare, and Irfan Can Kahveci came close with a thunderous shot just before the break.
Second-half push comes up short
Both teams struggled to create clear-cut chances after halftime.
Mexico nearly doubled their lead in the 65th minute when Cesar Huerta’s strike clipped the post. Türkiye’s best opportunity came 11 minutes from time when Kenan Yıldız squared the ball for Kerem Aktürkoğlu, whose quick-fire shot whisked just wide.
Türkiye couldn’t find an equalizer, closing out their U.S. training camp with a loss after previously beating the United States 2-1.
Debutants and development
Two young names wrote their first pages in the national team’s story. Defender Yasin Özcan, 18, started and played 45 minutes, while 20-year-old midfielder Demir Ege Tıknaz came on in the 77th minute.
Özcan, who completed the season with Kasımpaşa, is set to join Premier League side Aston Villa. Tıknaz, on Beşiktaş’s books, spent last season on loan at Portugal’s Rio Ave.
Montella: “We didn’t deserve to lose”
Postgame, head coach Vincenzo Montella praised his team’s effort and stressed that the result didn’t reflect their performance.
“We created more, took three times as many shots, but our accuracy was poor,” Montella said. “We made a single mistake when everyone was behind the ball, and they punished us. That’s football.”
Montella, who has led Türkiye from 40th to 27th in the FIFA rankings, said the camp was a success in terms of building squad depth and spirit. “Everyone played their role. I saw fight, team cohesion, and progress – that’s more important in this phase,” he said.
He emphasized the physical challenge of playing a mid-season team like Mexico while many Turkish players were coming off 50-game seasons and limited rest.
“Arda in No. 10?”
Asked whether Arda Güler would continue wearing the coveted No. 10 shirt, Montella brushed it off: “I’ve made mistakes before with shirt numbers – that’s not something I want to get into again.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was awarded an honorary doctorate Monday by the University of Manchester, recognizing his extraordinary impact on the city through his football success and philanthropy.
In a powerful acceptance speech at Whitworth Hall, Guardiola pivoted from celebration to somber reflection, addressing the ongoing war in Gaza with a deeply personal plea for compassion.
Since joining City in 2016, the 54-year-old Spaniard has transformed the club into a global powerhouse, guiding the team to six Premier League titles and the coveted 2023 Champions League trophy.
But Guardiola’s contributions extend beyond the pitch.
The university honored his charitable efforts through the Guardiola Sala Foundation, which works to improve lives in Manchester and beyond.
“Manchester means so much to me,” Guardiola said. “I have spent nine years here, and it has become home. The people, the culture, my incredible football club, my colleagues – it is all so special to me and my family.”
Yet, the mood shifted as he addressed the devastating conflict in Gaza, where violence has escalated sharply since Oct. 7, 2023, which has led to the death of around 55,000 Palestinians.
“It’s so painful what we see in Gaza. It hurts my whole body,” Guardiola said, his voice heavy with emotion. “This is not about ideology or politics. It’s about the love of life and caring for your neighbor.”
He paused, painting a chilling picture of innocent children caught in the crossfire. “Maybe we think it’s not our business when we see four-year-olds killed by bombs or hospitals turned to rubble. But be careful – the next four- or five-year-olds will be ours.”
Holding his three children in his heart, Guardiola shared his fear and sorrow. “Since this nightmare started, I see the infants in Gaza every morning, and I am scared.”
The university’s chancellor, Nazir Afzal, presented Guardiola with the degree, while Professor Duncan Ivison, president and vice-chancellor, praised the manager’s role in making Manchester a global success story.
“Pep is an innovator and a winner who has inspired millions,” Ivison said. “We are honored he accepted this degree.”
Boiler overflowed in the Middle East – Breaking News
SON DAKİKA! İran’dan misilleme: İsrail’den yeni saldırı! Tel Aviv’deki yıkım böyle görüntülendi İşte İsrail İran savaşı gelişmeleri
Al Sani, the Emir of Qatar, discussed US President Trump with the Israeli-Iranian tension
Boiler overflowed in the Middle East – Breaking News
SON DAKİKA! İran’dan misilleme: İsrail’den yeni saldırı! Tel Aviv’deki yıkım böyle görüntülendi İşte İsrail İran savaşı gelişmeleri
Al Sani, the Emir of Qatar, discussed US President Trump with the Israeli-Iranian tension
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