Congratulations to Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT, who have secured the 2026 Manufacturers’ Championship, marking the brand’s tenth title! 👏🔥
What a season! 🏁🇯🇵
#FIA #WRC
Monday, 14 September 2026
VAR OFFICIAL STOOD DOWN THIS WEEKEND AFTER MANCHESTER DERBY ERROR
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| The goal was initially ruled before the decision was reversed |
The VAR who made an "error of judgement" in awarding a goal to Manchester City in Sunday's derby at Old Trafford has not been appointed to a Premier League game this weekend.
Matt Donohue, along with assistant Blake Antrobus, awarded a goal to City after a VAR check, despite Enzo Fernandez appearing to interfere with play in an offside position in the build-up to Erling Haaland’s goal.
Referees' body Pro Ref conceded it had been an error for Donohue not to send referee Michael Oliver to the screen to determine whether Fernandez’s involvement was sufficient to make him offside. The goal had been disallowed on field for an offside against Haaland, who was found on review to be being played onside by Patrick Dorgu.
Fernandez certainly appeared to have an impact on the actions of United defender Lisandro Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens in his attempt to head the ball in, which would meet the definition for offside to be given.
Donohue made his Premier League officiating debut in May 2024, having gained promotion to the EFL’s assistant referees list in 2014. He has been used extensively as a VAR over the last two years.
Antrobus has also not been appointed to a game this weekend. Oliver will officiate Sunday’s match between Bournemouth and Liverpool.
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney said the decision to give the goal was "baffling".
Rooney told the BBC’s Match of the Day 2: "I’m just so sick of this VAR, I think it’s horrendous. It takes all the emotion off the game, the energy the game’s played with, and to not see that and recognise Fernandez is in an offside position…
"Anyone who’s played the game at any level understands that and knows that he’s in an offside position…to get it so wrong, it’s just baffling."
- RTÉ Sport
NICO ROSEBERG BLAMES CARLOS SAINZ ON NEW MADRING CIRCUIT
Nico Rosberg has jokingly put the blame on Carlos Sainz for the lack of overtaking at the new Madring circuit.
“Carlos Sainz was the ambassador, so we need to criticise Carlos Sainz,” Rosberg said.
He called for changes ahead of next year: “They need to revisit the track layout for next year and create one good overtaking opportunity. We need that on this track because it’s just too hard to overtake.”
Rosberg also pointed to Oscar Piastri’s struggle to pass Franco Colapinto despite having fresh tyres:
“It was pretty shocking. Piastri had fresh tyres, he could not get past. And he was so much quicker. It’s just super hard to overtake.”
Should Madring be redesigned for next season?
TOM ASPINALL OFFICIALLY VACATES UFC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE DUE TO ONGOING EYE INJURIES
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| TOMASPINALLOFFICIAL ON INSTAGRAM |
UFC star Tom Aspinall has officially vacated the UFC heavyweight championship due to ongoing issues with his eyes.
Ever since UFC 321 almost a year ago, Tom Aspinall has been dealing with severe injuries to his eyes as a result of pokes from Ciryl Gane. While he has been on the road to recovery and seemed to be showing progress, we now know that he will be unable to defend the belt at any point in the near future.
Tom Aspinall is one of the most exceptionally talented heavyweights we have seen in recent memory, but off the back of what happened against Gane, we may never get to see what he could really accomplish inside the Octagon.
In a recent Instagram post, after recent suggestions from Dana White that he could be stripped, Tom Aspinall announced that he will be relinquishing the gold.
TOM ASPINALL VACATES UFC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
“Anything you read in the media is simply noise. People are creating their own narratives. This is the truth:
Ongoing complications with my eyes mean I cannot get medically cleared to fight right now.
I’ve had multiple surgeries, accidents and infections, and done everything possible to get back to competing.
I had previously agreed to a fight date and was back sparring, feeling great and ready to compete when an accident caused further damage to my right eye. This means more time away from the sport, and right now, the timing of my return is unclear.
I know there have been questions about why I’ve been quiet. I’ve always followed the advice of the UFC and focused on my recovery while we’ve tried to make this happen.
I’ve now made the decision to vacate the heavyweight title. I’ve asked the UFC to allow me to make this statement because I don’t want to hold the heavyweight division up. I know what it’s like to have your career put on hold and I want the other fighters to have the opportunity to compete for the title.
The UFC and Hunter have been informed every step of the way and have seen the tests, procedures and medical information relating to my eyes. We have worked closely with different doctors and specialists to try and make my return happen, but unfortunately, it’s simply not possible right now.
I’m absolutely gutted. I’ve chased this dream since I was 10 years old.
I’m not done.
Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream. I’ll continue doing everything I can to get healthy, get cleared and get back to competing as soon as possible.
What makes this particularly difficult is that many of the complications I’m dealing with are a result of fouls that changed the course of my career. Fighters rely on officials to enforce the rules and protect us in those moments, and it’s hard to still be dealing with the consequences today.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this absolute nightmare.
I’ll be back as soon as I’m medically able to be.
Tom”
What title fight do you want to see next? Let us know in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
- Harry Kettle
LAMINE YAMAL'S THREE-WORD MESSAGE IGNITES BALLON D’OR FEUD WITH KYLIAN MBAPPÉ
The two Clásico rivals are in pursuit of soccer’s greatest individual prize.
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| Lamine Yamal (left) has not hidden his desire to win the Ballon d’Or. | Alex Caparros/Getty Images (Yamal), Diego Souto/Getty Images (Mbappé |
While Lamine Yamal named Kylian Mbappé as one of the top two players in the world over the past 12 months, the Barcelona star left no doubt over his pick for the 2026 Ballon d’Or: “I deserve it.”
The release of the 30-man shortlist for this year’s award has sparked pushes from some of the world’s top players. Mbappé recently insisted there had been nobody better than him over the past season, insisting he feels good about his chances of winning the award.
Mbappé is undoubtedly among the favorites to win, but the Real Madrid forward is joined towards the top of the rankings by Yamal. The 19-year-old contributed 24 goals and 18 assists for La Liga winners Barcelona and then helped Spain to World Cup glory this summer.
“Who would I give it to? The best in the world,” Yamal told Movistar+. “Who are they going to give it to? That’s a very long discussion.
“I honestly think that maybe there are two of us who are the best in the world. And I think I deserve it this year because of what I’ve won. Because for me, Mbappé and I are the two best in the world. For me, it’s very clear, and everyone who watches the games knows it.”
Barcelona Vice-President Calls for ‘Justice’ in Ballon d’Or Race
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| Yamal has plenty of support in Barcelona. | Pedro Salado/Getty Images |
Yamal’s belief that he deserves to win the Ballon d’Or was, predictably, backed up by Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste.
“Lamine Yamal is a young boy who is giving a lot of hope to young people around the world,” Yuste insisted. “He has a genius that at his age is incredible, it has been many years since I have seen a player like him. Therefore, I believe and wish that justice will be done with this well-deserved Ballon d’Or.
“Simply, for giving so much happiness to so many boys and girls around the world and to us who like football, justice has to be done, and he deserves everything and more for being the way he is and for making so many people happy.”
The Third Contender Yamal and Mbappé Are Forgetting
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| Harry Kane enjoyed a stunning 2025–26 season. | Uwe Anspach/picture alliance/Getty Images |
Yamal and Mbappé have, while staking their own claims for Ballon d’Or glory, been very complimentary to each other, proudly boasting their confidence in their abilities.
The problem is, however, neither player is actually viewed as the favorite.
Leading the polls currently is Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who netted 73 goals for club and country across the 2025–26 season to fly right to the top of the rankings ahead of next month’s award ceremony.
Yamal and Mbappé may sit clear as the two best players in the world, but the Ballon d’Or is designed to celebrate the best player over the previous season, and Kane’s numbers make him incredibly hard to ignore.
Working in Kane’s favor is Bayern’s success. Europe’s Golden Boot winner helped Bayern to a domestic treble and the semifinals of the Champions League, where he scored in both legs in one of the greatest ties in competition history against eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Yamal’s Barcelona won La Liga and the Spanish Supercopa, before he played a subdued role in Spain’s World Cup triumph. That puts the youngster clear of Mbappé, who ended the year without silverware but did win the World Cup’s Golden Boot and became the leading scorer in tournament history.
Team success often plays into the final Ballon d’Or verdict, which could give Kane or Yamal the edge over Mbappé.
- TOM GOTT
DANIEL MALDINI COULD BE BANNED FROM ITALY NATIONAL TEAM AFTER FRESH CAR CRASH DETAILS
Daniel Maldini now faces serious punishments from not only Italian authorities, but also the national team, as a damning new report into his car crash this week has emerged.
The 24-year-old, son of the legendary Paolo, one of the best players in football history, was involved in a car accident on Sunday morning in Milan, after he had scored the winner in Cagliari’s 2-1 away win at Atalanta in the Serie A.
Six people were reportedly involved in the two-car crash, with all said to have suffered minor injuries. Three ambulances and a medical car were sent to the scene following the incident, with Maldini taken to hospital.
New Report Offers Worrying Insight into Maldini's Car Accident
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Maldini's road traffic incident wasn't merely caused by accident. The attacking midfielder was driving his Porsche Carrera with three other people in the car and, according to reports, he failed to give way to a Volkswagen Golf carrying a man and a woman, causing the crash.
Police and ambulances arrived at the scene, where Maldini failed a breathalyser test. The first test was 0.91mg/l and the second was 0.89mg/l, above Italy’s legal limit of 0.5mg/l. Therefore, police confiscated his driving license.
To make things worse, according to the same report, Maldini also tested positive in a preliminary test to check for drug use. The hospital’s full toxicology test results are now being assessed.
Maldini Now Faces Hefty Fine & Ban From the Italian National Team
As per Sport Mediaset, the consequences that Madlini now faces could see him denied a call-up to the national team. In their report, they claim Cagliari could impose an internal fine, but this would be the least of his concerns.
Indeed, because of the Azzurri's code of ethics and conduct, the door could be closed on any plans Roberto Mancini had in calling him up to the squad ahead of October's international break - the first opportunity he would have to prove he's worthy of future involvement as Italy try to put their World Cup failures behind them and focus on the European Championship.
Unlike his famous father and grandfather, Daniel operates further up the pitch as an attacking midfielder. He came through Milan’s academy and made 24 senior appearances for the Italian giants before spells with Spezia, Empoli and Monza.
Maldini later joined Atalanta and spent the second half of last season on loan at Lazio before making another temporary switch to Cagliari. The six-cap Italy international has since made a bright start in Sardinia, with Cagliari currently sitting fourth in Serie A and due to face Udinese next Saturday.
- Robin Mumford
WEST HAM ICON LUDEK MIKLOSKO DIES AGED 64 AS TRIBUTES POUR IN
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| Ludek Miklosko has passed away (Image: Getty) |
West Ham United have confirmed that former goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko has died at the age of 64, after a brave battle with cancer. He made 373 appearances during eight years at the club.
In a statement, the club wrote: "Everyone at West Ham United is deeply saddened by the passing of Ludek Miklosko at the age of 64, following a courageous battle with cancer.
"The hugely popular former goalkeeper, known fondly as ‘Ludo’ to the Claret and Blue Army, made 373 appearances for the club during eight years as No1 between 1990 and 1997.
"The incredible impact he had on the club and the fondness with which he is remembered is heard every matchday, when supporters sing his iconic ‘My name is Ludek Miklosko, I come from near Moscow, I play in goal for West Ham’ chant."
In an emotional statement on the club's website, Miklosko's son Martin said: “We are heartbroken to announce the passing of my Dad Luděk, following a brave and courageous battle with cancer.
“On behalf of my Mum and my family, I would like to sincerely thank the fans and everyone at West Ham United Football Club for the kind wishes, thoughts and prayers that were sent to my Dad during his illness.
“We know that the many messages and wishes from his former teammates and fans alike were a huge sense of comfort to him in his battle with cancer, and gave him the strength to not give up and keep fighting for as long as he could.
“We are heartbroken at his loss, but take huge comfort from the immense support he received from all of you, along with the knowledge that he is now at peace and no longer suffering.
“Dad simply loved West Ham United, and especially hearing his name sung loud and proud at every game. The Club, and its fans, were and always will be a part of our family, so thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.”
West Ham added: "The thoughts and sincere condolences of everyone at West Ham United are with Luděk’s family as they come to terms with their loss, and we kindly ask that their privacy is respected at this sad and difficult time.
"A period of appreciation to honour Luděk will be held before kick-off at Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie against Fulham, and our following home EFL Championship fixture, against Queens Park Rangers on Friday 9 October, will be dedicated to Ludek’s memory. Further tributes will also appear across club channels in the coming days.
"Rest in peace Ludek, our beloved, inspirational goalkeeper and gentle giant of a man."
Miklosko was the guest of honour at the London Stadium for the Premier League fixture against Liverpool in December 2024, just after he announced his decision to withdraw from further cancer treatment. Hammers fans showed their support for the goalkeeper back in February by displaying a tifo in honour of him.
- Amie Wilson
Sunday, 13 September 2026
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