United News of Bangladesh

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing formal complaints to the soccer body’s ethics investigators over his public backing of U.S. President Donald Trump and the awarding of a peace prize to him. London-based human rights group FairSquare said Tuesday it requested investigations into Infantino for allegedly violating FIFA’s statutory duty to remain politically neutral. FIFA said its ethics committee does not comment on potential ongoing cases and could not confirm receipt of the complaint. Under FIFA rules, breaches of neutrality can lead to bans of up to two years, though it is unclear if the case will proceed. Critics note that FIFA-appointed ethics investigators are now seen as less independent than in the era of former president Sepp Blatter. Infantino’s ‘Peace Prize’ for Trump sparks debate over FIFA’s political neutrality Infantino has publicly praised Trump this year, including suggesting he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize. He also aligned FIFA closely with the U.S. ahead of the 2026 men’s World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize last week as Infantino launched the tournament draw in Washington, D.C. FairSquare said in an eight-page complaint that awarding a prize to a sitting political leader “is a clear breach of FIFA’s duty of neutrality.” The group also criticized Infantino for potentially acting without proper authority. FairSquare has previously challenged FIFA over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, the influence of World Cup sponsor Aramco, governance standards, and slow investigations into Israeli settlement teams. Source: AP 

Liverpool proved they could cope without Mohamed Salah on Tuesday, securing a crucial 1-0 Champions League win over Inter Milan thanks to a late penalty. With Salah left out following his criticism of the club last week, Dominik Szoboszlai took over spot-kick duties and calmly converted an 88th-minute penalty to seal the victory against one of the tournament’s standout teams. The win was especially important for Arne Slot’s side after managing just one victory in their previous six matches. Liverpool climbed to eighth, regaining momentum in the race for a direct place in the round of 16, while Inter slipped to fifth. Two-goal Fernandes inspires Manchester United to 4-1 win over Wolves Earlier, Ibrahima Konate thought he had given Liverpool the lead, but the goal was overturned after a lengthy VAR review found a handball in the buildup. VAR later awarded Liverpool the decisive penalty after spotting Alessandro Bastoni pulling Florian Wirtz’s shirt. Bayern’s young star impresses againBayern Munich moved to second in their group after a 3-1 comeback win over Sporting Lisbon, highlighted by 17-year-old Lennart Karl’s stunning volley — his third goal in four Champions League appearances. Bayern overturned Joshua Kimmich’s early own-goal with strikes from Serge Gnabry, Karl and Jonathan Tah. Alphonso Davies made his first appearance since March after recovering from a knee injury. Chelsea fallsChelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat to Atalanta, ending nearly three months without a Champions League loss. Joao Pedro scored first, but Atalanta hit back through Gianluca Scamacca before Charles De Ketelaere set up the equaliser and netted the 83rd-minute winner. Chelsea dropped to 11th. Barcelona, Spurs and others winJules Koundé’s two quick headers gave Barcelona a 2-1 comeback win over Eintracht Frankfurt, with Lamine Yamal setting a Champions League record for most combined goals and assists by a player under 19. Tottenham moved up to ninth with a 3-0 win over Slavia Prague, a match marred by controversy over the removal of a rainbow flag. Elsewhere, Julián Alvarez led Atletico Madrid to a 3-2 victory at PSV, Marseille edged Union Saint-Gilloise 3-2, Monaco beat Galatasaray 1-0, and Olympiakos earned a 1-0 win at Kairat Almaty. Source: AP 

Bruno Fernandes scored twice and set up another as Manchester United cruised to a 4-1 victory over Wolverhampton on Monday, climbing into the Premier League’s top six. Fernandes opened the scoring early, capitalizing on a midfield error by Andre before squeezing a shot past goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. Wolves equalized seconds before halftime when David Moller Wolfe’s cross found Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who volleyed home for the team’s first league goal in more than a month. United regained control shortly after the restart. Bryan Mbeumo tapped in Diogo Dalot’s pass in the 51st minute to restore the visitors’ lead, and Mason Mount extended it 11 minutes later after a clever chipped assist from Fernandes. The United captain sealed the win with an 82nd-minute penalty. The result handed Wolves their eighth straight defeat, leaving them bottom of the table with just two points, eight behind Burnley. Thousands of fans staged a 15-minute boycott against owners Fosun International, missing United’s opening goal. “We got ourselves back in the game but the goals we conceded were poor,” Wolves manager Rob Edwards said. “We’re getting punished and have to improve.” Despite United’s inconsistent form this season, the team dominated the second half. Mount said manager Ruben Amorim’s stern halftime talk pushed the players to be “ruthless” after a sloppy finish to the first period. United now sit sixth with 25 points, level with fifth-place Chelsea. “We can’t stop now. We’ve got to keep going,” Mount added.

A woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for blackmailing soccer star Son Heung-min, a South Korean court said Monday. The woman, identified only as Yang, was charged with extorting 300 million won ($204,000) from Son in 2024 after sending him an ultrasound photo of a baby that she claimed was his and demanding money to stay silent. She later conspired with a man, identified as Yong, to try to extort more money from Son. The Seoul Central District Court on Monday said Yang “lied” to Son, although she hadn’t confirmed whose child she was carrying. The court said Yang denied the charges of extortion and attempted extortion. Yong, who confessed, was sentenced to two years in prison, according to the court. The 33-year-old Son is among Asia's greatest players. After a decade at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, the South Korean star joined LAFC in August. South Korean news agency, Yonhap, reported in May that a women in her 20s and a man in his 40s had been detained on suspicion of attempting to blackmail Son in June of last year while he was still at Tottenham.

Neymar played a pivotal role in helping Santos avoid relegation from Brazil’s Serie A on Sunday, as the club defeated Cruzeiro 3-0, while the 33-year-old forward announced he will undergo surgery on his left knee. In the final league match of the season, Santos, the historic club famed for Pelé, secured its top-flight status, narrowly avoiding what would have been only the second relegation in the team’s history. The club had been relegated for the first time in 2023, nearly a year after the death of the legendary player. Neymar, who had been recovering from a torn ACL suffered during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023, returned to Santos in January and was instrumental in the team’s successful campaign to remain in the league. Over the last three rounds, Neymar scored against Sport Recife in a 3-0 win, netted a hat trick against Juventude in another 3-0 victory, and served as an effective playmaker in Sunday’s match. Goals from Thaciano in the 26th and 28th minutes, and João Schmidt in the 60th, secured the win for Santos at Vila Belmiro Stadium. The club finished 12th with 47 points. Neymar appeared in only 19 of the 38 league matches, scoring eight goals. Neymar signs contract extension with Santos through 2025 “I came to help in any way I could. These weeks have been very challenging,” Neymar said after the game. “I am grateful to everyone who supported me. Without them, I wouldn’t have played these matches because of my knee injuries. I need rest now, and then I will have surgery.” Neymar did not provide further details about the injury or the procedure but remains hopeful of being included in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad, despite not being called up by coach Carlo Ancelotti since May. Earlier this week, Flamengo secured its ninth Brazilian league title following a 1-0 win against Ceara and also claimed last month’s Copa Libertadores crown. Source: AP

Real Madrid finished with nine players on the field as it slumped to a 2-0 home loss against Celta Vigo on Sunday, slipping further behind La Liga leader Barcelona. Celta struck shortly after the interval, and Madrid’s troubles deepened when Fran García and Álvaro Carreras were both sent off in what became the club’s first home defeat of the campaign across all competitions at the Santiago Bernabéu. Unused substitute Endrick was also red-carded from the bench for dissent. Williot Swedberg opened the scoring in the 54th minute with a deft flick inside the box. Madrid went down to 10 men when García received a second yellow in the 64th, and to nine during stoppage time after Carreras was dismissed. Swedberg then wrapped up Celta’s win on a late counterattack. “We’re all frustrated — this wasn’t the match or the outcome we expected,” Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said, criticizing the officiating. “The referee’s decisions disrupted us. I didn’t like the way the game was managed.” The defeat leaves Madrid with just two wins in its last seven outings in all competitions. Up next is a Champions League home clash with Manchester City on Wednesday. Madrid’s only previous league loss this season came at Atletico Madrid in September, along with a Champions League group-stage defeat at Liverpool in November. Sunday’s result leaves Alonso’s side four points behind Barcelona, who defeated Real Betis 5-3 on Saturday. Madrid sits only a point ahead of third-placed Villarreal, which still has a match in hand. Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé both missed clear chances to bring Madrid level, while defender Éder Militão exited early with an injury. Celta climbed to 10th with its second win in three matches. Goalkeeping woes for Girona Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga endured another difficult outing in his team’s 3-0 home loss to Elche, committing costly errors that resulted in two goals — including a misplaced pass to an opposing player inside the penalty area. He had already mishandled a routine near-post shot earlier in the game. Dortmund secure 3rd spot in Bundesliga with 2-0 win over Hoffenheim The Argentine had struggled similarly in Girona’s league opener, where his mistakes contributed to a goal, a penalty, and his sending-off in a 3-1 defeat to Rayo Vallecano. Girona, now 18th and in the relegation zone, has managed only one victory in its last six matches. Elche, winless in its previous seven league games, moved up to ninth. Espanyol extends winning streak Roberto Fernández scored from the penalty spot in the first half as fifth-placed Espanyol edged Rayo Vallecano 1-0 to secure its third straight league win. Rayo, now 12th, went down to 10 men after Unai López was sent off in the 64th, while Espanyol’s Tyrhys Dolan received a late red card in the 87th. Rayo remains winless in its last five league matches. Valencia snatches draw with late equalizer Hugo Duro struck three minutes into added time to earn 15th-placed Valencia a 1-1 home draw against 13th-placed Sevilla. Sevilla, without a win in three league fixtures, had taken the lead through an own-goal by César Tárrega in the 58th minute. Source: AP

Borussia Dortmund cemented third place in the Bundesliga with a comfortable 2-0 win over Hoffenheim on Sunday. Julian Brandt set the home side on its way shortly before halftime. Nico Schlotterbeck doubled Dortmund’s lead with a fierce shot that swerved into the bottom corner in the 60th minute. Dortmund moved back to a point behind second-placed Leipzig, which demolished Eintracht Frankfurt 6-0 on Saturday. League leader Bayern Munich, which thrashed Stuttgart 5-0 on Saturday, has an eight-point advantage over Leipzig. Hoffenheim would have leapfrogged Dortmund with a win but remained fifth, five points below its opponent. At the other end of the table, Hamburg moved away from the relegation zone as substitute Yussuf Poulsen scored two minutes after coming off the bench to snatch a 3-2 comeback victory over Werder Bremen.

A dramatic stoppage-time strike from substitute Emiliano Buendia handed Aston Villa a 2-1 victory over Arsenal on Saturday, blowing the Premier League title race wide open. Buendia slammed in a loose ball with the final kick of the match, ending Arsenal’s unbeaten run since August 31 and cutting the league leader’s advantage at the top. Arsenal had edged the first half, but Matty Cash put Villa ahead in the 36th minute. Leandro Trossard levelled seven minutes after the break, before Buendia sealed Villa’s seventh straight win under Unai Emery. The result leaves Villa just three points behind Arsenal. Manchester City also tightened the chase, moving to within two points of the summit with a 3-0 win over Sunderland. Goals from Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Phil Foden gave Pep Guardiola’s side a comfortable boost ahead of next week’s UEFA Champions League clash with Real Madrid. Chelsea’s frustrations continued as they were held to a goalless draw at Bournemouth, dropping further behind the top three. Tottenham enjoyed a 2-0 win at home against Brentford, with Richarlison and Xavi Simons scoring before halftime to give coach Thomas Frank victory over his former club. Liverpool’s defensive issues resurfaced in a thrilling 3-3 draw away to Leeds United. Two goals from Hugo Ekitike set Liverpool on course, but Leeds rallied through a Dominic Calvert-Lewin penalty, Anton Stach’s strike, and a stoppage-time equaliser from Ao Tanaka. Dominik Szoboszlai had briefly restored Liverpool’s lead with 10 minutes left. Newcastle United edged struggling Burnley 2-1 at St. James’ Park. Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon scored for Newcastle, while Burnley’s Zian Flemming converted a 94th-minute penalty after teammate Lucas Pires was sent off earlier. Everton jumped into European qualification spots with a commanding 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. An early own goal by Nikola Milenkovic set the tone, followed by strikes from Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.  

Iran will play at least one match of the upcoming World Cup on American soil, although Friday’s draw ensured the long-standing geopolitical foes will not meet in the group stage. Iran, whose citizens remain under a U.S. travel ban and whose territory was hit by American airstrikes in June, will begin its tournament against New Zealand on June 15 in either Seattle or Inglewood, California. The team’s remaining group fixtures are expected to be held in Vancouver, Seattle or Inglewood, with FIFA set to finalize the full schedule on Saturday. The United States, meanwhile, has been grouped with Australia, Paraguay and a European playoff winner still to be decided in March. Iran’s involvement in the World Cup—co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico—has already stirred diplomatic friction. Last week, Tehran initially threatened to boycott the draw after several Iranian officials, including federation president Mehdi Taj and general secretary Hedayat Momebeni, were denied visas. The stance was later softened, with coach Amir Ghalenoei allowed to attend the event at the Kennedy Center in Washington, though his presence at the draw was not immediately confirmed. $2 billion Athletics stadium in Las Vegas expected to debut by 2028 Iran is among 12 nations covered by the June 5 U.S. travel ban, which also includes fellow World Cup participant Haiti. While exemptions apply to teams and support personnel, spectators are not included. The ban came as the Trump administration labeled Iran a “state sponsor of terrorism” and restricted entry to most visitors unless holding existing visas or qualifying under provisions for persecuted minorities. Later in June, the U.S. launched strikes using bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles against Iran’s underground nuclear sites before declaring a ceasefire days into a 12-day conflict involving Israel. Ranked 20th globally, Iran remains a major Asian football power preparing for its seventh World Cup appearance. Star forward Mehdi Taremi—formerly of Inter Milan and Porto, now at Olympiakos—heads the squad. Among its future opponents, relations with Egypt are the most strained, rooted in Cairo’s 1979 peace accord with Israel. At the previous World Cup in Qatar, Iran’s campaign was overshadowed by unrest at home following the death of Mahsa Amini. Players refused to sing the national anthem before their opener against England, and clashes erupted between anti-government and pro-government fans. Many displayed “Woman, Life, Freedom” banners before Iran exited the tournament after a 1-0 loss to the U.S. Source: AP 

Dozens of soccer players and officials were arrested Friday in Istanbul as part of a wide-ranging investigation into a betting scandal that has rocked Turkish football. Among those detained in early morning raids were top players Mert Hakan Yandas of Fenerbahce and Metehan Baltaci of national champions Galatasaray. Former referee and commentator Ahmet Cakar, along with current referee Zorbay Kucuk, were also taken into custody. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued arrest warrants for 46 suspects, with 35 already detained, including chairs and vice-chairs of several professional clubs. Prosecutors said Baltaci placed bets on his own team’s games, while Yandas allegedly bet through intermediaries. Seven others were arrested over suspicious financial transactions linked to betting. $2 billion Athletics stadium in Las Vegas expected to debut by 2028 All suspects were detained under a law aimed at preventing disorder in sport, which criminalizes match manipulation and carries sentences of one to three years, with higher penalties if linked to betting markets or professional leagues. The Turkish Football Federation has been investigating referees and players since October, temporarily banning over 100 professionals last month. Federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu pledged to safeguard Turkish football from “scandal, decay, and corrupt relationships.” Source: AP