Patrick Vieira’s turbulent tenure at Genoa has come to an end as the Serie A club announced that the Arsenal legend has left his role as head coach with immediate effect. The decision comes amid a disastrous start to the campaign as Genoa find themselves rooted to the bottom of the Italian top flight and staring down the relegation barrel.

• End of the road for Vieira in Italy

  Vieira’s exit was confirmed on Saturday morning. According to a series of meetings was conducted on Friday night, during which the 49-year-old Frenchman initiated discussions about his future. By dawn, both parties had agreed that his chapter in Genoa was over, less than a year after his arrival. When Vieira took charge in November 2024, Genoa were languishing in 17th place and were in grave danger of dropping out of Serie A. But under his guidance, the team staged a spirited escape by winning eight and drawing nine of their final 26 matches to climb to a respectable 13th. However, that optimism evaporated early this season. They have failed to record a single league victory, with six defeats in their first nine Serie A fixtures, including five losses in their last six outings. Their only brief moments of joy came in the Coppa Italia, where Vieira’s side picked up two wins.

  In an official announcement, Genoa thanked Vieira and his backroom team and said, "Genoa CFC announces that Patrick Vieira is no longer the coach of the First Team. The club wishes to thank the coach and his staff for the seriousness and professionalism demonstrated throughout their work and extends its best wishes for the continuation of their professional careers."    

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  New direction at Genoa: Diego Lopez takes charge of football operations

  Even as Vieira packed his bags, Genoa wasted no time in appointing new figures to provide fresh direction to the club. Diego Lopez, who was formerly the sporting director at RC Lens, has been officially recruited as Genoa’s new Chief of Football. This is an attempt to restructure their sporting hierarchy as the club is desperate for stability. According to reports in Italy, Lopez reportedly met Vieira last night and had agreed to delay any major decisions until next week. Yet by morning, the Frenchman had decided he’d had enough and walked away from the club. 

  Club President Dan Sucu and CEO Andres Bazquez hailed Lopez’s arrival and said, "We trust his prerogative, both human and professional, to give an impulse to the sporting area strategy and to optimise the operative plans, both in the short and the long-term."  

  Lopez, whose career has spanned scouting and technical roles at Monaco, Lille, Bordeaux and Excelsior Mouscron, vowed to honour Genoa’s proud traditions: "I thank the owners and management for their faith in me. It is an honour to work for a club with such great tradition, wonderful fans, and a clear project on which action to take. Sporting ambition and identity must characterise our journey. I trust that I am up to the standards of the expectations of this great Club and wish to salute all those who care about Genoa.”

• Balotelli’s brutal reaction on Vieira's exit

  Mario Balotelli had every reason to celebrate Vieira's exit, as he was frozen out by the Frenchman last season before eventually departing. He made two separate posts on Instagram and wrote, "Karma is a b****. God sees and provides", in his first story.

  He put up another Instagram story, which read: "Now Genoa can finally focus on people who truly love the environment, the fans and the crest, and who deeply believe in the idea and the fact that Genoa deserves to be at the top. 

  "The great work done by Gilardino and Zangrillo has not been lost," he added, tagging former players Alberto Zangrillo and Alberto Gilardino and Vieira as well. "It was just exploited selfishly and badly by those who came after, taking advantage of what they had built with hard work, respect and passion. They exploited the immense work of Gilardino and Zangrillo, their commitment and dedication to these colours, without really understanding their value. Now let’s focus on Genoa and the Genoese! Come on Genoa! Come on guys! I believed in you and I still do.” 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Vieira’s career: A rollercoaster of highs and heartbreaks

  Vieira’s legacy as a player remains untouchable. He is a three-time Premier League champion and four-time FA Cup winner with Arsenal, a World Cup and European Championship winner with France, and a respected figure at clubs such as Inter Milan and Manchester City. But his managerial career has been far less stable. After starting at New York City FC in 2016, he impressed early but struggled to find consistent success back in Europe. His stints at Nice, Crystal Palace, Strasbourg, and now Genoa have all ended prematurely due to poor results. At Palace, Vieira guided the club to the FA Cup semi-finals but was sacked in 2023 after a 12-game winless streak. Whereas, at Strasbourg, he departed by mutual consent last July after a single season. Now, with his Genoa spell ending similarly, questions are being asked about where the Frenchman goes next, and whether his coaching career can ever live up to the brilliance of his playing days.  

Move to 12/6 conference-style Championship also favoured by players’ union

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2025The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) has called for a reduction in both County Championship and Men’s T20 Blast games, urging county chairs and CEOs to “prioritise the welfare” of players ahead of a vote on restructuring the domestic game from 2026 onwards.A majority of male county cricketers in England and Wales favour reducing the number of Championship games played from 14 to 12, according to data collected by the PCA. The players’ union is also recommending a cut to the Blast schedule to help ease the number of back-to-back fixtures which it believes put players at risk.Players would also back a proposed move to a conference system for the Championship with a 12/6 split – two upper divisions of six above a lower division of six, with promotion and relegation as well as a grand final between the conference winners.Related

Counties agree to cut in men's Vitality Blast games for 2026

PCA reiterates fatigue concerns ahead of county domestic review

Reduced County Championship on agenda for latest domestic review

England allrounder Chris Woakes, the PCA’s England Men’s representative, said the call for change was not about playing “less cricket because they don’t want to – it’s about being able to produce the best cricket on the field as possible”.”Welfare is extremely important and not just players but coaches and staff,” he said. “We need to get the scheduling right to give players the time to prepare, recover and make sure they’re in the best state physically and mentally.”The game is now played at a greater intensity and faster rate, especially in white-ball cricket. When you’re having to play back-to-back games it’s almost impossible to be at 100%. Having gaps between games and with safe travel is very important.”The ECB announced on the eve of the new season a review into the domestic structure – the third in the last seven years – overseen by the Professional Game Committee. Consultation has been ongoing, with a vote on the proposals expected later this month.Recently, a number of counties have begun making their preferences public: Surrey and Somerset have called for maintaining 14 Championship games, with a return to eight teams in Division One and 10 in Division Two; Durham and Lancashire support the 12/6 conference plan, while Middlesex have backed sticking with the Championship as is, with two divisions and 10 teams in the top tier.The PCA expressed concerns about the current schedule at the start of the summer, saying 83% of respondents to a survey cited physical concerns over their workload and 67% called the fixture list detrimental to their mental health.Olly Hannon-Dalby, PCA chair, suggested that “a change in format of the County Championship to 12 league games is the only reasonable option” and that it would “breathe new life” into the competition.”We are at a critical moment regarding the future of professional cricketers in England and Wales,” he said. “The schedule has always been a contentious issue and we have seen too many reviews with no change but the feeling in recent seasons due to ever-increasing intensity of fixtures has led the game to a position where positive action has to be taken immediately and as an opportunity for the game to grow.”We understand the process is not straightforward and all counties have their own prerogative, however, the game needs to come to a consensus on a way forward to prioritise a duty of care to its players who are asking for reform, not just for their own health but also for an improved product on the field.”We have over 400 male players and we recognise the different career paths available … to protect the majority, a change in format of the County Championship to 12 league games is the only reasonable option and would breathe new life into what I believe would become the best red-ball competition in the world.”Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s chief executive, said: “Cricket has always been an incredibly innovative sport and relaunching the Blast and Championship with an optimum schedule would see clubs, supporters and players benefit from being involved in world-leading domestic cricket.”We have been pleased the consultation has provided space for player views to be heard and there is a consensus that back-to-back Blast games need to be drastically eased with the aim for the competition to change to 12 regional group games.”With the One Day Cup to stay alongside The Hundred, the congestion of the intense schedule cannot be improved enough by losing two 20-over games across a six-month season alone.”As employers, every county needs to understand the player concerns while looking at the positive outcome a 12/6 split would have in the Championship. The welfare of the players should be at the heart of the decision-making process and we urge all county Chairs and CEOs to consider this when taking their vote.”Ultimately, the right decision would serve to future-proof our game with clarity and commitment to a new era.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers are alive.

The Dodgers responded to Tuesday’s close Game 3 loss at Petco Park, disappointing an enormous crowd that came out Wednesday to watch the San Diego Padres try to eliminate their division rivals. Los Angeles won 8–0 in a game that never felt close, never looking back after jumping out to a 5–0 lead in the third inning Wednesday.

With the NLDS now tied 2–2 and headed back to L.A. for a decisive Game 5 on Friday, here are several takeaways from Game 4 that might shape what happens next.

Who needs a starting pitcher?

Due to a litany of injuries, the Dodgers' starting rotation is a mess. Dave Roberts opted to go with a bullpen game and it worked like a charm. L.A.’s relievers gave the Padres fits all night. The different angles and velocities kept them off balance and an offense that had averaged seven runs in the first three games of the series was kept shockingly quiet.

Dodgers relievers combined to throw nine shutout innings and only allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out eight.

While Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the presumed starter for Game 5, Roberts might want to give serious consideration to going with another bullpen day instead after the Padres scored five runs off Yamamoto in his three innings of work in Game 1.

Padres offense goes lifeless

Despite a Petco Park record 47,773 Padres fans ready and willing to explode, their team didn't give them much to cheer about. The Padres fell behind early and wound up buried. Rather than fight back as it had so many times this season, San Diego's offense went quiet. In fact, it’s been held scoreless for 15 consecutive innings dating back to a six-run second inning in Game 3.

“We just need to get a better approach at the plate,” right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. told reporters after the game. “They executed their pitches today. [We] just need better at-bats as a group.”

The top six hitters in San Diego's lineup only mustered one extra-base hit on Wednesday, a ground-rule double by Tatis in the third inning. That section of the lineup went 4-for-23 (.174 batting average) with three singles, a double and a walk, with Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill both going 0-for-4 after providing crucial hits earlier in the series.

It was a brutal showing from an offense that had scored at least four runs in each of San Diego’s first six postseason games. And it kept that record crowd seated for most of the night.

Dimitar Berbatov has commented on the plight of Kobbie Mainoo, saying the English midfielder is in a "cruel situation" under Ruben Amorim's management. The ex-Manchester United forward spoke glowingly about the 20-year-old's talents, and questioned whether he should pursue a move away from Old Trafford to continue his development. Mainoo has started just one game in all competitions this season.

Berbatov heralds Mainoo's talent

Berbatov made the comments in an interview with . The Bulgarian striker was fan favourite at Old Trafford during his four-year spell at the club, with his beguiling touch and languid style demonstrating a level of confidence that bordered on arrogance. He sees many of those traits in Mainoo, whose talent he greatly admires. 

The ex-Tottenham, Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen star also expressed sympathy towards a player who seemed to have the world at his feet just 15 months ago. Mainoo went from a young upstart, to a Manchester United regular and eventually a key cog in Gareth Southgate's England side that went to the finals of the European Championship over the course of the 2023-24 season. Amorim's apparent lack of trust in his ability to start games has been the first real roadblock in his ascent, but it has proven one to be almost impossible to traverse for the 20-year-old. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMainoo in a 'very tough situation' at Man Utd

Berbatov said: "It's a very tough situation, especially for a young player.

"It shows you how football can be a really cruel game at times because Kobbie Mainoo was playing, he reached the England national team, he was going up, up, and up. All of a sudden he is not being picked.

"Now the question is, does he stay positive, patient, and wait for his moment again? Or he needs to move to a different place to play regularly to get his confidence back and come back to United and start playing more regularly?

"I'd like to see him play because the talent is there to see, that decision-making, that calmness and arrogance which you need with the ball at your feet is there, even at his age. I like that. But at the moment, the manager doesn't see something he can use from the first minute of the game."

Mainoo's frustrating 2025-26 season so far

Mainoo's fall from favour under Amorim has seen his time on the pitch cut dramatically. During his breakout season in 2023-24, the highly-rated youngster finished the season with 21 consecutive starts in the heart of Erik ten Hag's midfield, bagging the winning goal in the Red Devils' shock upset of Manchester City in the FA Cup final. 

A calf injury sustained in February, derailed the midfielder's momentum somewhat, but he still started 19 league games last year, with many of those appearances coming under Amorim following Ten Hag's dismissal. 

This term, Mainoo has started just one fixture: United's embarrassing League Cup defeat on penalties to League Two minnows Grimsby Town. He has logged just 138 minutes in the league, making seven appearances from the bench. He was a unused replacement in United's 2-2 draw away to Forest last weekend, and did not travel to London as part of Amorim's match day squad to face Tottenham due to a knock. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWill Mainoo push for a loan deal?

The 20-year-old requested to leave on loan in the summer transfer window, but the move was blocked by Amorim. The Portuguese suggested that Mainoo is competing for a spot with club captain Bruno Fernandes, making any chance of him finding regular minutes in the manager's rigid 3-4-3 formation seem increasingly unlikely. Recent reports suggest West Ham are willing to test Amorim's resolve, and will table a loan move in the January transfer window with the player's representatives again expected to request a temporary move away from Old Trafford. 

The push for a loan move suggests that the academy graduate wants to remain attached to his boyhood club, but for how long will he remain committed to United if he cannot continue to develop as a player? A loan move would seem to make the most sense for all parties, but the longer this drags on, the more likely it is that Mainoo's long-term future lays outside of Manchester. 

تقدم نادي الزمالك بشكوى لدى اتحاد الكرة ضد أحمد سيد زيزو لاعب فريق الكرة بـ الأهلي، بسبب تعمده تجاهل مصافحة هشام نصر نائب رئيس مجلس إدارة القلعة البيضاء خلال مراسم التتويج في نهائي كأس السوبر المصري.

وكان الأهلي توج بلقب كأس السوبر المصري للمرة الـ 16 في تاريخه، بالفوز على الزمالك بنتيجة 2-0، في المباراة النهائية التي أقيمت أمس الأحد، في الإمارات.

وأرسل نادي الزمالك شكوى رسمية للجنة الانضباط بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، ضد “زيزو” وذلك بسبب التصرف الذي صدر من اللاعب أثناء مراسم التتويج عقب نهائي كأس السوبر المحلي.

طالع.. عاجل | عقوبات السوبر المصري 2026/2025.. تغريم الأهلي والزمالك وموقف زيزو

ويستند الزمالك في شكواه ضد زيزو على البند التالي: “فرض عقوبات انضباطية على من يتعرض بالإساءة إلى الاتحاد أو المجلس أو اللجنة أو الجهة المنظمة أو المسئولين أو عناصر اللعبة”.

وحال صدور قرار من لجنة الانضباط بمعاقبة اللاعب ستكون العقوبات طبقاً للتالي:

نص اللائحة

(الإهانة أو الإساءة أو التهديد لأي من الاتحاد أو المجلس أو الجهة المنظمة أو المسئولين أو عناصر اللعبة سواء في الملعب أو خارجه.

الامتناع أو التأخر عن استلام الجائزة في نهاية المسابقة أو الإخلال بإجراءات ومراسم التتويج لهذه المسابقة.

إذا طلب أو قبل لنفسه أو لغيره وعد أو عطية من أي نوع لأداء عمل أو الامتناع عنه أو سهل أو توسط لنادٍ أو حكم أو لاعب أو مسئول بغرض مخالفة لوائح الاتحاد.

يعاقب بواحدة أو أكثر من العقوبات التالية: –

1- الإيقاف.

2- الغرامة بحد أدني خمسون ألف جنية بالإضافة إلي قيمة الإضرار إن وجدت .

3- الشطب.

4- تغريمه قيمة ما تم إتلافه.

وتوقع اللجنة العقوبات المناسبة دون التقيد بالتسلسل الوارد لهذه العقوبات)

Manchester United supporters have become accustomed to incredible late drama over the years – with numerous moments producing incredible memories for the fanbase.

In recent history, Amad Diallo has produced his own late magic, doing so in one of the biggest games for the club – the Manchester Derby against Manchester City.

The Ivorian scored a 90th-minute winner against Pep Guardiola’s men at the Etihad last campaign, securing a 2-1 victory after trailing with just a handful of minutes remaining.

However, one of the most iconic late goals was scored by Ole Gunnar Solskjær against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final back in 1999.

Such a goal helped the Red Devils claim another major trophy, but most importantly secured the club a treble after previously winning the Premier League and FA Cup.

In the present day, Ruben Amorim has his very own clutch player who has continued to produce the goods within the latter stages of numerous crucial outings.

Ranking Harry Maguire’s most clutch moments for Man Utd

After forking out £80m for Harry Maguire’s signature in the summer of 2019, very few United fans would have predicted the impact that the centre-back would have in attacking areas.

In his six years at Old Trafford, the 32-year-old has racked up 17 goals for the Red Devils, finding the back of the net in every 14 matches he’s appeared in.

Numerous of his strikes have been late goals to secure the first-team vital results, with his third-most important effort coming against Norwich City in the FA Cup quarter-final back in 2020.

His 118th-minute winner secured the club a place in the semi-final, with such an effort the first time Maguire popped up and demonstrated his clutch ability in front of goal.

The centre-back also demonstrated his last-gasp antics in the Europa League last season – subsequently producing one of the most memorable games for the fans in recent history.

Maguire leapt highest at the back post in the 121st minute to secure a phenomenal late comeback against Lyon, resulting in a 7-6 aggregate win in the quarter-final.

However, despite his antics at Old Trafford back in April, the defender’s latest strike for the Red Devils is one that could help kickstart Amorim’s tenure in charge at the Theatre of Dreams.

The former Leicester City man scored an 84th-minute winner against bitter rivals Liverpool, subsequently securing the club’s first win at Anfield in 12 years.

Such a victory will certainly live long in the memories of all the supporters, with Maguire once again writing himself into the club’s history books forever.

The United star who’s becoming one of Amorim’s most clutch players

Maguire has managed to constantly produce the goods within attacking areas for United – but Amorim has desperately needed to address the options within the final third.

It’s all well and good having a defensive player popping up with key contributions, but the side have lacked the out-and-out presence to impress in front of goal.

His side could only muster a tally of 44 goals in their 38 league outings last season – with their measly average of 1.1 per 90 the fifth-lowest in the division.

As a result, the hierarchy handed the 40-year-old boss funds in excess of £200m to make the changes he desired to his first-team squad in Manchester.

One of the additions made by the board was that of forward Bryan Mbeumo, as he joined the Red Devils in a deal totalling £71m, including any future add-ons.

The Cameroonian arrived with huge expectations at Old Trafford and understandably so after he netted 20 league goals for Brentford last season – ending the year as one of only five players to hit such a milestone.

Since such a transfer, the 26-year-old has immediately captured the hearts of the fanbase with his impressive showings in recent weeks under Amorim’s guidance.

He’s already found the net on three occasions, with his latest strike coming in the first couple of minutes in the iconic triumph over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

The strike has added to his league tally, with Mbeumo also scoring against Burnley at Old Trafford back in August – subsequently helping secure their first victory of the campaign.

Games played

9

Goals scored

3

Pass accuracy

78%

Successful crosses

2.1

Chances created

1.8

Dribble success

52%

Fouls drawn

1.5

Shots on target

1.2

As a result of his recent antics in the Red Devils first-team, one analyst has since labelled him as “one of the most clutch players” – often popping up in key moments when the side needs him most.

He currently sits joint-top of the club’s top goalscorer charts in the league, with his recent form showcasing that the board made the right call in forking out a pretty penny for his signature.

Mbeumo also ranks second for chances created in the top-flight in 2025/26, already providing an assist in the triumph over Sunderland – highlighting his complete nature in the final third.

Maguire’s antics as of late have certainly seen the Englishman receive a whole heap of praise, but some of which desperately needs to be directed to the Cameroonian.

The board took a huge risk with his addition this summer, but they have so far been proved right – with his ability potentially allowing the manager to create new history at Old Trafford.

Amorim has unlocked the new Bruno Fernandes in "world-class" Man Utd star

Manchester United already have a player on the books who can emulate Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford.

1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 22, 2025

Manchester United are now willing to outbid Real Madrid to win the race for Tijuana wonderkid Gilberto Mora, who starred at the recent U20 World Cup.

It was recently revealed that Ruben Amorim is putting a heavy emphasis on bringing young players through the ranks, having introduced a number of academy stars to first-team training, with 18-year-old winger Shea Lacey particularly catching the eye.

Amorim plans to rebuild the link between the academy and the senior squad, and Lacey is one of the main youngsters who could push for a place in the match-day squad before the season comes to a close.

Bringing players through the academy has always been a part of United’s DNA, and their current manager has made it clear he wants to continue that tradition, saying: “We want to maintain it. The past of Manchester United is built on kids.

“I don’t want to be the guy that breaks that.”

The Red Devils have also set out to sign impressive up-and-coming talents from elsewhere, with it recently emerging they are in concrete talks to sign AIK Fotboll striker Kevin Filling, and they are now looking to sign another young attacker.

Man Utd willing to outbid Real Madrid for Mora

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Man United are willing to put a lot of money on the table to win the race for Tijuana attacking midfielder Mora, following his impressive performances at the recent U20 World Cup.

Such is United’s level of interest, they are willing to raise the price to a point where Madrid would be forced to back out of the race, but there could be competition for his signature, with Paris Saint-Germain also prepared to spend big.

In order to win the race, the Red Devils are aware they will need to move swiftly, with a deal expected to amount to €4.5m (£4m).

The 17-year-old certainly caught the eye at the U20 World Cup, receiving plaudits from scout Jacek Kulig courtesy of his performances in the group stage.

Not only that, but the teenager has already gained a plethora of experience for Tijuna at first-team level, having made 44 appearances for the Mexican side, during which time he’s amassed seven goals and two assists.

Mora is yet to prove himself in a major league, but his performances for both club and country have been extremely impressive, and it would be a real statement if Man United were able to beat Real Madrid to his signature.

Man Utd now enter race for Jeremy Monga Man Utd now enter race to sign new forward dubbed "England's Ousmane Dembele"

The Red Devils are looking to sign a “deadly finisher”.

ByDominic Lund Oct 29, 2025