Amid an injury crisis and a slump in form, Real Madrid face Alavés on Sunday evening with Xabi Alonso's job as manager hanging in the balance. Los Blancos have managed just two wins in their last eight matches, dropping points against Liverpool, Rayo Vallecano, Elche, Girona, Celta Vigo and most recently, the Cityzens. The team is in desperate need of three points if they want to remain in the La Liga title race with Barcelona, who sit atop the standings with a comfortable four-point gap. Xabi Alonso Discovering Real Madrid Is the Impossible Job. Beating Alavés will be anything but easy for Real Madrid, though. The club will be without the injured Éder Militão, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga, while Kylian Mbappé and Antonio Rüdiger remain as doubts. Fran García, Álvaro Carreras and Endrick are also unavailable due to suspension. Here's how Real Madrid could line up for the La Liga clash. GK: Thibaut Courtois—The Belgian has kept just two clean sheets in his last seven appearances through no fault of his own. RB: Federico Valverde—It might not be his desired position, but Valverde is Real Madrid's best—and only—option to get the nod at right back. CB: Aurélien Tchouaméni—With Rüdiger not fully fit, Tchouaméni will say goodbye to the midfield and return to his emergency center back duties. CB: Raúl Asencio—After a pitiful Club World Cup campaign, the Real Madrid Castilla product has done well to regain the trust of Alonso. Asencio's physicality could be the key to locking down Lucas Boyé. LB: Dean Huijsen—The Spaniard is in line to make his first appearance in three weeks, but it might come at left back due to the club's defensive crisis. Sign Up to Get Informed With SI FC. CM: Arda Güler—The 20-year-old must put his recent struggles behind him and prove to Alonso he can excel in a deeper role. 10 would love nothing more than to erase his second-half blunder against the Cityzens with a goal on Sunday. RW: Rodrygo—It would be harsh to overlook Rodrygo after his scintillating midweek performance. The Brazil international is coming off scoring his first club since March. ST: Gonzalo García—Opportunities to lead Alonso's line do not come often, and Gonzalo needs to unlock his brilliant Club World Cup form to make a statement in what could be his second consecutive start. Amanda Langell is a Sports Illustrated FC freelance writer covering the European game and international competitions. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

Hugo Ekitike scored twice as Liverpool beat Brighton 2-0 at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday. The Egypt international, who is facing an uncertain future at the club, bagged an assist for Arne Slot's side in what was his final game for the club before he joins up with his country's AFCON squad. There was more Anfield applause on 25 minutes as the Salah saga took yet another twist. An injury to Gomez saw Arne Slot send on his talisman and watch him tee up Alexis Mac Allister for a chance with virtually his first touch. Gomez, who escaped a red card just before half-time for a high challenge on Wirtz, slid in at the far post to connect with a low cross but saw his effort hit the woodwork. Liverpool responded quickly and doubled their lead through Ekitike on the hour. Salah sent in a curling corner for the France international to head home and give the hosts some breathing space. The game was all set for Salah to apply the finishing touch before he departs for international duty and he was presented with a gilt-edged opportunity in stoppage time. However, Salah could only blast high over the bar as Liverpool had to settle for just two goals but a first home Premier League win since November 1st. Made a crucial save in the first half when he came off his line to block Diego Gomez and saved well from Karou Mitoma in the second half. A few scares at the back but looked far more assured than in recent weeks. Another Liverpool defender who put in a vastly improved performance. Had a tough task up against Minteh but handled it well. Along with Curtis Jones, helped Liverpool take control of the game and see off Brighton. Played a big role in Liverpool's win with an excellent showing in the middle of the park for Slot's side. Impressive stuff on his 200th appearance for the Reds. Had a few chances to score in the first half but couldn't convert. Played all over the position as he was forced to right-back after Gomez went off and Salah come on. Scored a brilliant first goal to give Liverpool the perfect start to the match and then headed home a second when Brighton were threatening an equaliser. That's now four goals in his last two Premier League outings for the Reds. Seemed to pop up everywhere in a free-flowing performance. Found pockets of space all over the place and really enjoyed himself. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting Started on the bench but came on after 25 minutes due to Gomez's injury and was given a big ovation by the Anfield faithful. Looked lively, grabbed an assist for Ekitike's second but probably should have scored late on.

Manchester United urged to snub Adam Wharton & Elliot Anderson in favour of signing USMNT star Tyler Adams to end their transfer search for a new midfielder. Ruben Amorim is desperate to make a quality signing in his engine room, and the club is expected to back him in the winter market to get on board a midfielder. The Red Devils are expected to back Amorim in the winter market as he looks to stamp his authority on a squad still searching for coherence. United have not been shy in the transfer market over the past decade, investing more than £800 million ($1070m) between 2020 and 2025 and adding a further £219m ($293m) this summer alone. Brighton's Carlos Baleba remains a long-term priority, but the south coast club have shut the door on any January negotiations. Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson is admired Adam Wharton, meanwhile, has impressed at Crystal Palace and harbours ambitions of Champions League football, yet he recently committed his future with a new contract and has not pressed for a move. Against that backdrop, The Telegraph has suggested United could find a more immediate and tactically suitable solution in Tyler Adams. At Bournemouth, his presence has freed Alex Scott to play higher up the pitch, knowing there is security behind him. Adams has increasingly been described as a natural fit for the so-called Makelele role, the deep-lying shield perfected by Claude Makelele and later embodied by players such as Casemiro and Rodri. Rodri's Ballon d'Or triumph in 2024 was widely seen as overdue recognition of that role's importance. Similarly, when Luka Modric broke the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly in 2018, he did so with Casemiro working to protect the defence behind him. "I'm not the one going out every weekend like Antoine Semenyo scoring goals and dribbling past players. I want to win and know how to win and know that my role in any team can be invaluable if played right. After arriving at Bournemouth from Leeds in 2023, injury curtailed his first season, limiting him to just one start. Adams had come close to joining Chelsea before that move, with the London club hunting for a No.6 before eventually landing Moises Caicedo. And the midfielder credited Iraola for that resurgence. "I can't repay Bournemouth enough for the trust they had in me," he said. "They were signing a player that was injured and didn't expect when I would be back. All the little details we are really focused on. We had a very strong pre-season, it was good having the group healthy going into the pre-season compared to last season where we had injuries and couldn't find the cohesiveness for a few games. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting On Monday night, Adams will walk out at Old Trafford as Bournemouth visit United in the Premier League. With Baleba unavailable, Wharton settled, and Anderson hesitant, the case for Adams is gaining momentum.

Fans can explore official events to plan their World Cup experience SUGAR LAND, Texas — Soccer fans planning to attend World Cup matches in Houston next summer can now access a central resource for Sugar Land events and activities through a new planning portal launched Thursday by Visit Sugar Land. The website, SugarLand26.com, will serve as a hub for information about watch parties, cultural events and community experiences in Sugar Land during the tournament. Sugar Land Town Square, First Colony Mall to host World Cup events Sugar Land Town Square and First Colony Mall will serve as the primary centers of activity, hosting match-day experiences, live entertainment, art installations, international food and beverage stations, local merchant markets and cultural showcases celebrating the global spirit of the tournament. Youth soccer camps, cultural events planned for World Cup visitors Throughout the tournament, visitors can enjoy community activations, including Space Cowboys soccer week and youth soccer camps at Constellation Field in June, outdoor movie nights, cultural performances and pop-up experiences highlighting Sugar Land's diversity and local talent. As fans from around the globe travel to Houston, this site gives them one place to easily discover our watch parties, cultural events, and community experiences so they can plan their World Cup journey with us," said Jordan Cutler, senior marketing manager. How to get World Cup 2026 updates for Sugar Land events Additional details on events, entertainment lineups and participating businesses will be announced in early 2026.

With women's soccer on track to become one of the world's top five sports, U.S. Soccer is committing a $30 million donation from billionaire Michele Kang to researching some of the major issues facing female athletes. It's an underfunded area of research that leaves women in sport more susceptible to different injuries as well as keeping young girls from pursuing the sport, Georgie Brunvels, female health and research innovation lead with U.S. Soccer, told NBC News. “By people seeing what is happening in football —or soccer — I think it will trickle on a global level to making people stand up and pay attention and listen.” Kang's donation will advance work that was already taking place at the Soccer Forward Foundation, which focused on community-level work aimed on inclusion and expanding access to the sport. And that may not just be in the United States. “The [Women's National Team] is an absolute icon and pioneer and leader in the space of soccer,” Soccer Forward Foundation Executive Director Lex Chalat said. Injury prevention and recovery is an area that's been a hot topic in women's soccer, as research shows female players are two to eight times more likely to tear their ACLs than men. These are devastating injuries that can require surgery and nearly a year of recovery time. USWNT defender Tierna Davidson tore her ACL in March during a National Women's Soccer League game and missed the rest of the season. It was her second ACL tear in three years. A number of factors have been correlated to the issue including the difference in women having looser knee ligament, their menstrual cycle, and wearing cleats designed around men's physiology. It's like the no-brainer question, but no one's pulling that data together.” But while these knee injuries often get the most coverage, and now investment, they are just one of the many injuries female athletes suffer at a higher rate than men, according to Brunvels. Brunvels also cited pregnancy, another physical condition that poses challenges for women, as an underfunded area of research. “We've got seven players within our Women's National Team ecosystem who are either pregnant or returning to play postpartum,” Brunvels said. Mental health is another area being targeted by the Kang Institute in its first study. “The other project is really focusing on girls soccer dropout rates, particularly at that middle school age.” Chalat says the Soccer Forward Foundation's work has shown that girls drop out because they feel like they don't belong or have negative experiences with their coaches. Research has suggested that 60% of female athletes have experienced some form of body shaming and are two times more likely to experience depressive symptoms and eating disorders when compared to their male counterparts. Angel City FC forward Sydney Leroux, who has had more than 70 appearances with the national team, posted on Instagram last month that she'd been diagnosed with anorexia. The revelation came more than eight months after she announced she was taking a break from her NWSL team to focus on her mental health. I just thought that that was the way my body reacted to the pressure I put on it, or being anxious or not being able to do it all.” For Brunvels, allowing girls and women to understand their bodies better creates empowerment through the arc of their lives both on and off the pitch. “And as a part of that, we want to keep girls in sport for longer.

The organisation of World Cup 2026 continues to be controversial. Several associations, including Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) in England and Wales, have asked FIFA to immediately stop tickets sales due to the "disgraceful" prices. For the first time in the World Cup, prices are not consistent and vary depending on demand and attractiveness, that are pushing fans away from the competition. The association says that prices for tickets allocated to Participating Member Associations (PMA), which are typically distributed via official supporters' clubs or loyalty schemes, have reached "astronomical" levels. A supporter that would like to watch their team from the first group stage match to the final (eight games in total, as this edition has round of 32) would have to pay $6,900, almost five times the equivalent from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. With these prices, none of this will happen", FSE Executive Director Ronan Evain said. "We back Football Supporters Europe in calling for a halt in ticket sales and we are calling on the FA to work with fellow FAs to directly challenge these disgraceful prices", added the English football association. World Cup 2026 takes place in the US, Mexico and Canada, and the current FIFA's leadership, headed by Gianni Infantino, is aligned with Donald Trump, to the point that they broke their own rules of neutrailty, according to some organisations, when they awarded the FIFA Peace Price to the US President. You must be logged in to comment. If you are not yet a member - join now!

FIFA is facing growing criticism after confirming that tickets for the 2026 World Cup final will start at around £3,000 for supporter groups, sparking anger from those who say the game is once again putting profit before its people. The pricing was revealed through information shared with official supporter groups this week, showing steep rises across the board for national-association allocations. Football Supporters Europe has called the costs “extortionate” and urged FIFA to pause sales immediately. Members of the England Supporters' Travel club now know they'll be paying between $4,185 (£3,120) and $8,680 (£6,471) to attend the final, should the Three Lions reach that stage. Even group-stage and knockout tickets show significant increases on previous tournaments, with England fans looking like to pay at least £6,000 to attend all fixtures from the first game to the final, more than five times the cost of doing so in Qatar. Dynamic pricing has added more fuel to the fire within tickets that have been sold so far, introducing uncertainty and pushing costs even higher for the most in-demand games. FIFA maintains that lower-priced tickets still exist within certain categories, but this has done little to ease the backlash. The 2026 pricing is a sign of a tournament drifting further away from the people who give it the noise and meaning that makes it the biggest sporting event on the planet. FIFA clearly know the price of everything but the value of nothing.

The World Cup is months away, but some fans this weekend say they're unsure if they'll be able to afford tickets as FIFA moves to a “dynamic pricing” model. NBC 5's David Goins digs deeper into the issue. One day after fans around soccer lamented the pricing structure implemented for the 2026 World Cup, which places a premium on marquee games and venues. FIFA said the highest in-demand games so far are in Miami, New York and Guadalajara, Mexico, for group stage contests involving Portugal, Brazil, Colombia, Morocco, Scotland and Germany. On Thursday, soccer fans accused FIFA of "monumental betrayal" over the use of dynamic pricing for the first time. Fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described the current prices as “extortionate.” Create a free account with NBC 5 DFW to save articles and videos. Erick Vales, a Fort Worth-based self-described soccer super fan, said Friday seeing prices at AT&T Stadium at $700 per ticket for the best Category 1 seats, was a shock. Vales has attended the three previous World Cup tournaments in Brazil (2014), Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022). His Category 1 tickets from those events are now souvenirs adorning his dining room wall in three distinct shadow-box style frames. "Going from $220 to $700 dollars, that's a 300% increase." Vales said he's budgeted over the last three years since Qatar and is prepared to spend upwards of $5,000 on tickets, but given the nearly $2,400 price for a Mexico match, his plans may pivot.