Sports
Prince William revels in Villa’s Europa League glory after 30 years
In front of England’s future king, Unai Emery once again proved himself the undisputed king of the Europa League.
Aston Villa swept aside Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul on Wednesday, handing Emery a record-extending fifth title in Europe’s second-tier competition and ending the club’s 30-year wait for major silverware.
Among the jubilant Villa supporters inside Tüpraş Stadium was lifelong fan Prince William, who watched his beloved club complete a remarkable revival under the Spanish manager.
“Amazing night!! Huge congratulations to all the players, team, staff and everyone connected to the club!” the prince wrote on X.
William joined the celebrations at full time, pulling out his phone to capture the moment captain John McGinn hoisted the trophy as confetti rained down across the stadium.
“He’s a classy guy. He was in the dressing room before the game and he’s a massive Villa fan, so he was never going to miss it,” McGinn told TNT Sports.
It was Villa’s first major piece of silverware since the English League Cup in 1996 and its first continental title since the European Cup and Super Cup in 1982.
Was the outcome ever in doubt with the Europa League specialist Emery on the sideline?
The Spanish coach has enjoyed remarkable success in Europe’s second-tier competition, winning it three straight seasons with Sevilla from 2014-16 and again with Villarreal in 2021.
Now he has led a third team with “Villa” in its name to the title.
“I am always very grateful for Europe, for every competition, Conference League, Champions League, Europa League, but especially the Europa League,” Emery said. “We fought strongly in this competition and tried to give it our best. We played in a very serious way this year.”
Two first-half goals from Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia put Villa into a 2-0 lead at the break. Morgan Rogers added a third in the second half.
German club Freiburg, which was playing in the second division 10 years ago, was outclassed in its first European final.
Villa was in England’s second tier as recently as 2019. And while it was the overwhelming favorite going into Wednesday’s match, occasions like this looked a long way off when Emery was hired in 2022.
Back then, Villa was one place above the relegation zone and in danger of going down again.
The transformation he has overseen has been remarkable, leading the team into the Champions League last season and qualifying for European club soccer’s top competition again next term.
“With this manager in charge, anything is possible,” said McGinn, a Scotland international. “Tonight was just everything we have built coming together, and the pride I felt at 3-0 with 10 minutes to go, thinking we’re European champions, was something I can’t even describe.
“It’s the proudest moment and night of my career so far.”
Tielemans put Villa ahead with a controlled volley from Rogers’ cross in the 41st minute, driving his shot past Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
Three minutes into first-half stoppage time, Buendia doubled the lead with a curling left-footed shot from outside the box that flew into the top corner.
Rogers scored in the 58th minute when he slid in at the near post to turn Buendia’s cross over the line.
“We had a great season and to top it off with this is amazing,” Tielemans said.
The victory was further personal redemption for Emery, who was fired by Arsenal in November 2019 despite having led the team to the Europa League final earlier that year, which it lost to Chelsea.
A serial winner, he has now lifted trophies with clubs in three countries, including domestic honors with Paris Saint-Germain.
Second-seeded Elena Rybakina rallied from a set and a break down to defeat Naomi Osaka 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in their Canadian Open quarterfinal in Toronto on Tuesday.
The 2022 Wimbledon and 2026 Australian Open champion will face fourth-seeded Coco Gauff in the semifinals after the American advanced when Belinda Bencic withdrew with a hip injury.
In the first tour-level meeting between Osaka and Rybakina, the Japanese star made a fast start, breaking in the opening game and maintaining her advantage to take the first set.
The four-time Grand Slam champion then surged to a 4-2 lead in the second set, but Rybakina rallied and prevailed in a tiebreaker to force a deciding set.
In the third set, Rybakina saved four break points before breaking Osaka’s serve in back-to-back games to seize control and seal the victory in 2 hours, 33 minutes.
“This first game of the match was really tough because it cost me the set,” Rybakina said. “In the second I was just trying to stay closer to the score, even if I’m losing.
“It’s rare when you don’t play some players for so many years you’re on tour. She’s a great champion. She’s a fighter. I knew it would be a tough match.”
Earlier Tuesday, Gauff advanced without striking a ball after Bencic withdrew from their quarterfinal, giving the American more time to fine-tune her game ahead of the U.S. Open.
The 2023 U.S. Open champion is into the 16th WTA 1000 semifinal of her career as the 22-year-old chases her first title of the year.
Gauff finished runner-up in Miami and Rome before her Wimbledon campaign ended in a tight semifinal defeat. She has introduced new tactical elements to her game and has looked strong in Toronto, where she has not dropped a set.
The only previous meeting between Gauff and Rybakina also came in Toronto, where the American won in three sets in 2022.
Fenerbahçe are closing in on the signing of Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku after reaching an agreement with Napoli on the transfer and personal terms with the 33-year-old forward.
Lukaku is expected to travel to Istanbul to complete his medical examination before signing a two-year contract with the Turkish club, according to reports in Türkiye and Italy.
Reports on Wednesday indicated that only Lukaku’s signature remained before the transfer could be completed.
The Belgian striker is expected to arrive in Istanbul on Wednesday or Thursday to undergo medical checks and then sign the official contract.
Fenerbahçe have reportedly agreed to pay Napoli an initial fee of slightly more than 6 million euros, with the package potentially rising by several million euros through performance-related bonuses and other incentives.
Transfer reports from Italy and Türkiye have also indicated that Lukaku has agreed to personal terms, with his annual earnings expected to be in the range of 8 million to 10 million euros, depending on how bonuses and other elements of the deal are calculated.
The move would bring an end to Lukaku’s two-year spell at Napoli. He joined the Italian club permanently from Chelsea in 2024 for a reported fee of about 30 million euros and helped Napoli win the Serie A title in the 2024-25 season.
His second season in Naples was far less productive, however, with recurring muscle and thigh problems limiting his appearances and affecting his contribution.
For Fenerbahçe, the deal represents a major addition to an attack already being built around high-profile players and ambitions of competing on multiple fronts.
Lukaku brings a physical presence that few forwards in the Süper Lig can match. At 1.91 meters, he offers strength, aerial ability, hold-up play and a proven scoring record, while his experience in the Premier League, Serie A and European competitions could prove valuable as Fenerbahçe pursue success at home and in Europe.
The Belgium international remains his country’s all-time leading scorer, with 93 goals in 132 appearances as of mid-2026. His club career has included spells at Anderlecht, Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion, Everton, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Roma and Napoli.
His most successful period came at Inter, where he played a central role in the club’s Serie A title-winning campaign in 2020-21. He has also enjoyed prolific spells in England, particularly during his time at Everton.
Lukaku’s arrival would give Fenerbahçe another experienced option in a demanding season that includes the Süper Lig and European competition. The club are also pursuing Champions League qualification after advancing past Sturm Graz and moving into the playoff round against Lyon.
Fenerbahçe are scheduled to face Lyon in the playoff round, with the first leg in Istanbul later this month. Qualification for the Champions League league phase could have further implications for the club’s transfer plans.
The Yellow Canaries are also reportedly set to pursue a high-profile left winger if they qualify for the Champions League, suggesting the club’s transfer business may not end with Lukaku.
Beşiktaş will look to complete the job against Hradec Kralove on Thursday when the Czech side visits Istanbul for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie.
Beşiktaş hold a 1-0 advantage from last week’s first leg in the Czech Republic and will advance to the playoff round with a win or draw at Tüpraş Stadium.
The winner will move one step closer to the Europa League league phase, while the loser will continue its European campaign in the Conference League playoff round.
Semih Kılıçsoy gave Beşiktaş the advantage in the 80th minute last week, four minutes after coming off the bench. The visitors had already been reduced to 10 men when Kassoum Ouattara was sent off for a second yellow card in the 71st minute, but they defended their lead to secure a valuable away victory and another clean sheet.
The result continued Beşiktaş’s strong defensive start to their European campaign. They have not conceded in any of their three qualifying matches this season, having previously eliminated Midtjylland 3-0 on aggregate with clean sheets in both legs.
Another shutout in Istanbul would put Vincenzo Italiano’s side in a strong position to advance. Beşiktaş also have home-field advantage, having beaten Midtjylland 1-0 at home in the previous round.
With the Turkish Super Lig season set to begin Friday, Italiano can keep his attention on European competition and securing Beşiktaş’s place in the next round.
Hradec Kralove, however, will arrive in Istanbul knowing the first leg could easily have produced a different result.
The Czech side created four big chances and put nine shots on target, but goalkeeper Alexander Nübel made eight saves to preserve Beşiktaş’s narrow advantage.
Hradec responded at the weekend with a 2-1 victory over Banik Ostrava in the Czech First League, with Tom Slončík scoring both goals. The result gave David Horejš’s side seven points from its opening three league matches and offered a boost ahead of the difficult trip to Istanbul.
But Hradec now face a simple requirement: They must score if they are to keep their Europa League hopes alive. Beşiktaş have yet to concede in Europe this season, while Hradec are trying to reach the main stage of a UEFA competition for the first time since their appearance in the 1995-96 Cup Winners’ Cup.
European history
Thursday’s match will be Beşiktaş’s 262nd in European competition. The Turkish club have recorded 100 wins, 50 draws and 111 losses in their previous 261 matches, scoring 352 goals and conceding 395.
It will also be their 131st European home match. Beşiktaş have won 65, drawn 26 and lost 39 of their previous 130 games at home in UEFA competition, scoring 201 goals and conceding 150.
Against Czech opposition, Beşiktaş have won three of their seven previous meetings, along with one draw and three defeats.
Their first meeting with a Czech club came against Slavia Prague in the 2002-03 UEFA Cup. Beşiktaş won 4-2 at home before losing 1-0 away to advance on aggregate.
They faced Sparta Prague in the 2003-04 Champions League group stage, winning 1-0 in Istanbul before losing 2-1 in Prague. In the 2010-11 Europa League qualifying rounds, they defeated Viktoria Plzen 3-0 at home and drew 1-1 away.
Last week’s 1-0 victory over Hradec was their most recent meeting with a Czech opponent.
Team news
Beşiktaş have no fresh injury concerns following the first leg, but Ouattara is suspended after being sent off.
Kılıçsoy could be rewarded with a starting place after making an immediate impact off the bench in the Czech Republic. The forward replaced Vaclav Cerny in the 76th minute and scored the winning goal four minutes later.
Wilfred Ndidi is another player pushing for a starting role after coming on for Orkun Kökçü last week.
Hradec have a longer list of absentees. Tomas Wiesner and Jakub Kucera remain sidelined with knee injuries, while Tomas Petrasek is dealing with a calf problem.
Adam Binar, Viktor Zentrich and Juraj Chvatal are also unavailable. Adam Vlkanova remains doubtful as he continues to recover from illness.
Slončík will be one of Hradec’s biggest attacking threats after his two-goal performance against Banik Ostrava. Mick van Buren and Ondrej Mihalik are expected to provide support in attack.
What is at stake
If Beşiktaş eliminate Hradec, they will face Kauno Zalgiris of Lithuania in the Europa League playoff round.
Kauno Zalgiris reached the playoff round after losing both legs of their Champions League third qualifying-round tie against Dinamo Zagreb, 5-0 and 2-1.
If Beşiktaş fail to overcome Hradec, they will drop into the Conference League playoff round, where they would face Panathinaikos.
Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo and his longtime partner Georgina Rodriguez tied the knot Tuesday, marking a new chapter in their relationship, his representatives confirmed.
Ronaldo, 41, shared a photo of the couple’s hands with their wedding bands and the caption: “C (heart) G” on his Instagram account.
The ceremony took place in the Portuguese coastal resort of Cascais, near Lisbon, the Brunswick Group managing the player’s public relations told AFP.
Their five children attended the “private and intimate” ceremony, the agency added.
The couple tied the knot exactly one year after Rodriguez, a 32-year-old influencer, announced their engagement on Instagram.
Ronaldo, who played for Portugal at the World Cup this summer, currently plays for Saudi club Al-Nassr.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward won the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player five times.
Panathinaikos Basketball Club owner Dimitrios Giannakopoulos wants to bring three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic to Athens, with the Denver Nuggets superstar potentially joining the Greek club for the 2027-28 season.
Giannakopoulos, whose net worth has been estimated at between $500 million and $1.9 billion, said on the “Euro Insiders” podcast, published Tuesday, that he approached the Nuggets about buying out Jokic’s contract and bringing the Serbian star to Greece.
“People are going to say, ‘OK, now he’s joking,’” Giannakopoulos said. “I did make a very serious proposal this year, both to his team and to him. I got a rejection. I know that he has one more year (on his) contract.”
Technically, Jokic has two years remaining on his contract. According to Spotrac, he is due to be paid $59,033,114 this season and $62,841,702 next season, while the 2027-28 season is a player option.
“When I asked, he had a certain contract running,” Giannakopoulos said. “This was his last year. I tried to buy out his last year. They didn’t even, I mean, it took a few seconds to say, ‘Who? Greece? Where? What? Bye,’ from his team. But … let’s wait until next year.”
Jokic, 31, has spent all 11 of his NBA seasons with the Nuggets and has averaged 22.2 points, 11.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists while leading the franchise to its only NBA championship in 2022-23.
Jokic has averaged a triple-double in each of the past two seasons. Oscar Robertson, who did so in 1961-62, and Russell Westbrook, who accomplished the feat four times, are the only other players to average a triple-double for a full season.
Last season in the EuroLeague, Panathinaikos went 22-16 to finish seventh among 20 teams before losing to Valencia Basket in the first round of the playoffs.
Former NBA players including Jerian Grant, Juancho Hernangomez, Kendrick Nunn and Guerschon Yabusele are listed on Panathinaikos’ preseason roster.
South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL has postponed two continental club matches in Colombia following a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that killed at least 164 people and caused widespread destruction across the country.
Deportes Tolima’s Copa Libertadores round of 16 first-leg match against Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle, scheduled for Tuesday in Ibague, and Wednesday’s Copa Sudamericana clash between Independiente Santa Fe and Argentina’s River Plate in Bogota have both been suspended.
CONMEBOL said new dates and venues for the matches would be announced later.
The decision came as Colombia continued to deal with the aftermath of Monday’s earthquake, which struck western Colombia and caused severe damage in several parts of the country.
The disaster prompted a major rescue and relief operation as authorities assessed collapsed buildings and other damaged infrastructure.
“In these difficult times, CONMEBOL extends its affection and support to all of Colombia and, especially, to the great Colombian football family,” the governing body said in a statement.
“In light of this exceptional situation, and to ensure everyone’s safety and respect for the victims, the matches are temporarily suspended.”
The postponements affect two of Colombia’s biggest clubs on the South American stage.
Tolima were due to host Independiente del Valle at the Estadio Manuel Murillo Toro in Ibague in the first leg of their Libertadores knockout tie. Santa Fe were scheduled to welcome River Plate to Bogotá’s Estadio Nemesio Camacho, commonly known as El Campin, for the opening leg of their Sudamericana round of 16 series.
With the earthquake disrupting normal activity across western and central Colombia, CONMEBOL opted against proceeding with the fixtures while rescue and recovery efforts remained underway.
The Colombian Football Major Division, known as DIMAYOR, also suspended all domestic matches scheduled for the week.
The move brought Colombia’s professional football calendar to a standstill as authorities and communities focused on the emergency. DIMAYOR expressed its solidarity with those affected and said the decision was taken in response to the exceptional circumstances facing the country.
The earthquake struck Monday morning in the Choco region of western Colombia. Its effects were felt across a wide area, including major cities such as Cali, Pereira and Bogotá.
The quake caused extensive structural damage, with buildings collapsing in some areas and emergency services working to reach people trapped under rubble. Airports and other infrastructure were also affected, complicating efforts to assess the full scale of the disaster.
The death toll rose throughout the day as rescuers reached areas that had initially been difficult to access.
The earthquake was among the strongest to strike Colombia in recent history and triggered a national emergency response. Authorities warned of further seismic activity as rescue crews continued searching damaged areas.
For Colombian football, the immediate priority shifted away from competition and toward safety and solidarity.
The postponements mean Tolima, Santa Fe and their opponents will have to wait for confirmation of when and where their continental fixtures will be played. CONMEBOL said those details would be announced in due course.
-
Politics1 day agoTürkiye, Bulgaria aim to boost co-op against criminal gangs
-
Economy1 day agoTürkiye’s trade sales volume decreases, retail sales up in June
-
Economy3 days agoThis summer shows climate change’s cost to Europe already here
-
Economy2 days agoTurkish industrial output grows in Q2 despite headwinds
-
Economy2 days agoTurkish export outlook improves at fastest pace in 8 months
-
Economy2 days agoShein finds China hard to replace as Vietnam experiment fails
-
Economy2 days agoIstanbul Airport sets all-time European daily passenger record
-
Politics1 day ago‘Terror-free Türkiye model’: Parliament set to pass key law