United News of Bangladesh

Manchester City academy player Han Willhoft-King has quit professional football to pursue a law degree at Oxford University, bringing an early end to a promising career that once saw him train alongside stars like Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne. The 19-year-old London-born midfielder, who previously spent more than a decade at Tottenham Hotspur, was long regarded as a rising talent and even trained with Spurs’ first team under Antonio Conte. However, recurring injuries and a growing desire for academic life pushed him to reassess his future. Willhoft-King had initially planned to study at UCLA while playing for FC Cincinnati 2, but Manchester City’s offer in mid-2024 convinced him to delay university and attempt a final push into elite football. Despite valuable exposure with City’s U-21s and occasional sessions with the senior squad, he struggled for game time and continued to deal with injuries. He ultimately decided to sit for the LNAT (entrance exam to study law at British universities) and apply to Oxford. After being accepted into Brasenose College, he chose to step away from football entirely. Explaining his decision, Willhoft-King said he no longer enjoyed the daily grind of professional football and felt “understimulated.” “I still loved it. But I always felt I could be doing more. I was wasting hours of the day. I needed something different, and Oxford excited me — the people, too. I guess that’s the reason,” he told the English press. “We would be running after the ball like dogs for half an hour, 60 minutes. It’s not a very pleasant experience, especially when you are trying to press De Bruyne or Gündogan or Foden. You can’t get near them, so the feeling of not wanting to do this overcomes being starstruck.” Willhoft-King added there was strong logic behind his choice: “You can have a football career that lasts 10–15 years. But what happens after that? By starting university education, I will achieve a much longer-term career. I made this decision thinking a bit long-term.

Bayern Munich maintained their flawless start to the season with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), with Luis Diaz having a bittersweet experience. The Colombian winger scored a brace, Bayern’s only goals of the night, before seeing a red card that left the Bavarians struggling throughout the entire second half. In an exciting clash at Parc des Princes on Tuesday night, Vincent Kompany’s side won the tie 2-1. The hosts’ only goal came from João Neves in the 74th minute. With the victory, the German giants have now won all 16 of their matches this season. Bayern had previously suffered a 2-0 defeat to PSG in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup held in the United States last July. Since then, they have not experienced such a setback. PSG, on the other hand, tasted their first defeat after three consecutive wins in the UCL this season. Mikel Merino’s brace helps Arsenal maintain perfect UCL run Bayern started the game brightly and went ahead by capitalizing on their first notable chance of the match in the fourth minute. Diaz entered the box and fired past goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier after Michael Olise’s initial shot was blocked, giving Bayern an early lead. PSG responded in the 22nd minute, but Ousmane Dembélé’s effort was ruled offside after a VAR check. Moments later, Dembélé was substituted due to discomfort in his leg and replaced by Lee Kang-in. In the 31st minute, Serge Gnabry’s shot from outside the box struck the post, and Bayern capitalized a minute later to double their advantage. PSG defender Marquinhos lost control of the ball outside the box, allowing Diaz to carry it forward and beat the goalkeeper for his second goal of the night. The hosts tried hard to reduce the deficit before the break, but it was Bayern who could have extended the lead to 4-0 as they narrowly missed a couple of opportunities. However, just before halftime, the visitors were reduced to ten men as Diaz was shown a direct red card after a lengthy VAR review for a foul on PSG midfielder Achraf Hakimi. With a man advantage, PSG became dominant after the break. It was an all-PSG show in the second half, as they controlled 87 percent of possession and produced 19 shots, eight of which on target. Despite being a man down, Bayern held their composure, relying on key interventions from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. In the 68th minute, Neuer made a crucial save to deny a long-range effort from Vitinha. But the German goalkeeper had to surrender in the 74th minute, when João Neves expertly converted a cross from outside the six-yard box, giving the home side hope of a comeback. That was all for the hosts, as PSG could not find an equalizer despite continued pressure in front of Bayern’s box. Liverpool hand Real Madrid first UCL defeate despite Courtois’ resistance With the hard-fought victory, Bayern sit top of the table with 12 points from four matches. Arsenal sit second with the same tally. In other contests of the night, the Gunners put three past Slavia Prague, thanks to a brace from Mikel Merino and a successful penalty by Bukayo Saka. Liverpool handed Real Madrid their first defeat in the Champions League, while nine-man Tottenham Hotspur continued their unbeaten run in the UCL by demolishing FC Copenhagen 4-0. Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways by beating Union Saint-Gilloise 3-1 after a heavy defeat at the Emirates Stadium last month, while two Italian sides — Napoli and Juventus — were held at home to a goalless draw against Eintracht Frankfurt and a 1-1 draw with Sporting CP respectively.

Following the completion of the English Football League (EFL) Cup, popularly known as the Carabao Cup, third-round fixtures last night, the fourth-round draw has been finalized, setting the stage for several high-profile Premier League clashes. Defending champions Newcastle United will host Tottenham Hotspur in one of the standout ties, with several Premier League giants set for challenging encounters. Premier League heavyweights drawn together In what is arguably the tie of the round, holders Newcastle United will welcome Tottenham Hotspur to St. James’ Park. Newcastle, who ended a 70-year trophy drought by lifting the Carabao Cup earlier this year, advanced comfortably with a 4-1 victory over League One leaders Bradford. Elsewhere, an all-Premier League affair sees Arsenal drawn against Brighton. Meanwhile, record ten-time winners Liverpool will host fellow top-flight side Crystal Palace at Anfield. Liverpool progressed after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Southampton, a match notable for Hugo Ekikite’s late winner and subsequent sending-off for taking his shirt off during the celebration. In other significant matchups, Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) will host Chelsea, ensuring another Premier League giant will be eliminated. Only Manchester City has a comparatively easier task on paper, drawn away to Championship club Swansea. Giant-killers eyeing more upsets The competition’s current giant-killers, Grimsby Town, have another golden opportunity to cause an upset after being drawn at home to Premier League side Brentford. The only remaining League Two side has already impressively dispatched Manchester United at home and Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday away, and their reward is yet another Premier League opponent at home as they seek to continue their remarkable cup run. Championship newcomers Wrexham were drawn against Cardiff City, marking the first meeting between the two Welsh clubs since 2002. Additionally, League One side Wycombe Wanderers have the chance to create their own magic as they host Premier League club Fulham. The fourth-round ties are scheduled to be played during the week of October 27. Carabao Cup fourth-round draw: - Arsenal v Brighton- Grimsby Town v Brentford- Swansea v Manchester City- Newcastle v Tottenham- Wrexham v Cardiff- Liverpool v Crystal Palace- Wolves v Chelsea- Wycombe v Fulham

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min could be out for the season because of a broken right arm, manager Jose Mourinho said Tuesday.