Saif Sporting Club notched up a 3-1 win over Uttar Baridhara Club, courtesy of a brace from Nigerian John Okoli, in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

When Bashundhara Kings roped in Brazil’s Robson Da Silva, popularly known as Robinho, on loan from top-tier Fluminense FC, the Bangladesh Premier League champions had his marauding runs down the left flank in mind and hopes their Argentine talisman Hernan Barcos could capitalise on Robson’s flawless crosses and decisive passes in the AFC Cup.

Inter Milan kick off the new Serie A season on Saturday in the midst of fan protests and money troubles that threaten to derail their title defence before it has even begun.

Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday blasted reports that he was trying for a return to Real Madrid, hours after coach Carlo Ancelotti also said he was not going to take the Juventus forward back to Spain.

Bangladesh will begin their SAFF Championship campaign by taking on Sri Lanka in one of the two opening day matches on October 1 at the National Football Stadium in Maldives as the fixtures of the 13th edition were disclosed yesterday.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) agreed to give Bashundhara Kings compensation worth US$57,000 after the Bangladesh champions claimed the amount following the sudden suspension of Group D Matches of AFC Cup in May.

Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings will hope to repeat their 2020 AFC Cup performance when they begin this year’s campaign by taking on hosts Maziya S&RC in a Group D encounter at the National Football Stadium in Male, Maldives today.

Bayern Munich are the next team to try to shackle Norwegian goal-machine Erling Braut Haaland when the defending Bundesliga champions face Borussia Dortmund for the German Super Cup on Tuesday.

Salma Makes History

Barcelona started life without Lionel Messi by defeating Real Sociedad 4-2 in their La Liga opener at the Camp Nou on Sunday even if fans admitted it felt like “a leap into the unknown”.

Robert Lewandowski equalised as defending champions Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach in a hard-fought opening game of the new Bundesliga season on Friday.

Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard got the goals as Brentford stunned Arsenal 2-0 in the opening game of the Premier League season on Friday but manager Thomas Frank said the home fans deserved the man-of-the-match award.

A brace from Nigerian forward Kenneth Ikechukwu helped Saif SC to a 3-2 win over six-time champions Abahani after four years in a Bangladesh Premier League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

After being demoted four places to the 188th position in the FIFA World Ranking on Thursday, Bangladesh national football team are scheduled to play against two superior sides -- 101th-ranked Kyrgyzstan and 102nd-ranked Palestine – between August 30 to September 7 of the upcoming FIFA window.

The arrival of Lionel Messi at Paris Saint Germain has created a positive mood at the Ligue 1 club but he is unlikely to play any part in Saturday’s home game against Strasbourg, coach Mauricio Pochettino said.

Having already established their dominance in the domestic circuit, Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings are now on course to make their presence felt in the upcoming AFC Cup, which is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Lionel Messi has set his sights on more Champions League glory after being unveiled as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Wednesday as hundreds of fans gathered outside the club’s stadium hoping to see their new idol.

With the title of the Bangladesh Premier League already decided, the battle for the runners-up spot heated up as Federation Cup runners-up Saif SC, struggling giants Mohammedan SC and rejuvenated Chattogram Abahani notched victories in their respective matches yesterday.

The 13th edition of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship has moved from Bangladesh to Maldives and will be held in Male from October 1 to 13, an emergency executive meeting of the regional football body decided yesterday.

Barcelona fans gathered outside Lionel Messi’s house on Monday and spoke of their sadness at the club’s greatest player leaving after 21 years, while Paris St Germain fans eagerly awaited his arrival in the French capital.