Sports

The Bundesliga returns after a three-week winter break, with Borussia Dortmund naming Gregor Kobel as fit to start and Eintracht set to include winter signing Ebnoutalib for his debut.

FC Barcelona will offer defender Andreas Christensen a one-year contract extension, with talks to take place in the coming weeks; Christensen is currently recovering from a partial ACL tear that is expected to sideline him for several months.

Michigan running back Justice Haynes announced he will enter the transfer portal after one season with the Wolverines; he rushed for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025 and missed games due to a season-ending foot injury.

Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell underwent surgery for a "serious but treatable medical condition," the school said, and he is expected to resume coaching ahead of the Flames' spring practices.

Scott Arfield has signed a short-term contract with Livingston until the summer after being released by Falkirk; the 37-year-old midfielder asked to leave after limited starts since Falkirk's return to the Premiership.

Evgeni Malkin returned after a month, played 18 minutes and scored in a 4-1 win, and said he is willing to play wing or other positions as the Penguins test new lineups.

Renée Slegers has signed a deal to remain Arsenal head coach until the end of the 2028/2029 season. She led Arsenal to a 1-0 Champions League final win over Barcelona in Lisbon.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said Atletico coach Diego Simeone 'crossed the line' after an on-pitch exchange with Vinicius Jr during the Spanish Super Cup semi-final; Spanish broadcaster Movistar reported Simeone told Vinicius that club president Florentino Perez would 'kick you out'.

Kilmarnock supporters told the club they want at least four players in the January window under new boss Neil McCann, naming a goalkeeper, centre-back, midfielder and striker among priorities; the team sits second-bottom as the window opens.

The New York Rangers placed goalie Igor Shesterkin on injured reserve after he left a game with a lower-body issue, and defenseman Adam Fox was moved back onto long-term injured reserve; the team recalled Spencer Martin and Scott Morrow from the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The Los Angeles Chargers host the New England Patriots in an NFL wild-card game that spotlights rookie quarterback Drake Maye as an MVP candidate and notes practice absences for players on both teams; cold temperatures are expected for the 8 p.m. ET kickoff.

Anthony Davis left late in the Mavericks-Jazz game after appearing to have pain in his left hand, and the Mavericks did not return him to the floor; fans posted critical reactions on social media.

The reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles host the 49ers in an NFC wild-card game; both teams arrive after uneven regular seasons and notable injury issues.

Coach Massimiliano Allegri will hold his pre-match press conference at Milanello at 12:00 CET, broadcast live on the AC Milan Official App and Milan TV. The Serie A fixture AC Milan v Genoa is scheduled for Thursday 8 January at 20:45 CET at San Siro.

Manchester City are finalising a deal to sign United States midfielder Sam Coffey from Portland Thorns, with a fee reported to be about $800,000. Reports say terms have been agreed and Coffey has been granted permission to travel to England to complete the move.

Fabrizio Romano reports there are no negotiations yet between Xavi Hernandez and Manchester United, and says Xavi is open to managing in the Premier League.

Bill Belichick told Jim Gray on SiriusXM that he views the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks as the teams to beat for Super Bowl 60, citing their balance and defensive strength. Both teams finished 14-3 and earned first-round byes as the No. 1 seeds in their conferences.

Madison Square Garden will host the New York Sirens against the Seattle Torrent on April 4 at 8 p.m., an event the article presents as a milestone for the PWHL and the Sirens; ticket presales began for season-ticket members and newsletter subscribers and general public sales are set to start Jan. 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Coach Craig Berube said William Nylander, out since Dec. 27 with a lower-body injury and listed day-to-day, could return to the Maple Leafs as soon as Saturday. Nylander has skated on his own and was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 27.

After the Panthers' 4-1 loss in Toronto, coach Paul Maurice said Brad Marchand was removed before the third period as a coaching decision and that the move was precautionary to avoid worsening a lingering issue.

Declan Rice praised Mikel Arteta's man-management and said the manager knows when to give him a nudge, and Rice has started 92 of a possible 96 Premier League games since joining Arsenal in 2023.

David Villa told MARCA that Real Madrid academy graduate Gonzalo Garcia has seized chances, including a hat-trick against Real Betis, and Villa said the striker's readiness helps him earn more opportunities.

The Detroit Red Wings return home after a recent win and will host the Vancouver Canucks, who have one win in their last seven games and a four-game losing streak.

Unai Emery said Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres are close to returning while Ross Barkley, Evann Guessand and Amadou Onana are unavailable; he praised Vitor Lindelof's performances and said he had no transfer updates to share.

Anthony Joshua told UFC fighter Kamaru Usman in a FaceTime call while he was in hospital that a late-December car crash in Nigeria that killed two close friends "still hasn't sunk in," and the driver has been charged with dangerous driving causing death and has pleaded not guilty.

Trinidad Chambliss is from Grand Rapids, Michigan and rose from Division II Ferris State to become Ole Miss's starter; his mother Cheryl worked for nearly 30 years as a juvenile probation officer and now substitutes, and his father Trent is a Navy veteran who later coached and worked in education.

FC Bayern has loaned 25-year-old Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz to Southampton until the end of the season; he spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Hamburger SV and has made seven appearances for Bayern since joining in 2023.

Terry Yorath has died aged 75 after a short illness; he was a former Leeds midfielder and Wales captain who later managed Wales close to 1994 World Cup qualification.

Nigeria play Algeria in an AFCON 2025 quarter-final on Jan. 10, and historically the Super Eagles have won nine of ten AFCON quarter-finals and lost once.

Egypt will face Ivory Coast on January 10 in the AFCON quarter-finals, and historically Egypt has appeared in ten AFCON quarter-finals with a record of six wins and four defeats.