SOCCER

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Union Berlin has appointed Marie-Louise Eta as its interim head coach, making her the first woman to lead a men’s team in the Bundesliga. The 34-year-old succeeds Steffen Baumgart, who was dismissed late Saturday alongside his coaching staff following a 3-1 loss to Heidenheim. Eta takes over as the club battles to avoid relegation, marking the first time a woman has coached a men's team in Europe’s "big five" leagues.

Eta, who was coaching Union’s Under-19 men’s team and agreed earlier this month to take over as coach of Union’s women’s team next season, has five games to secure the Köpenick-based club’s Bundesliga survival.

“Staying in the Bundesliga is not yet guaranteed given the point-differences in the lower half of the table. I’m happy that the club entrusts me with this challenging task,” Eta told the club website. ”One of Union’s strengths has always been our ability to pull together in such situations. And of course I’m convinced that we’ll get the decisive points with the team.”

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said the pain of back‑to‑back cup defeats must be ⁠used as motivation as his team turn their focus to the first leg of their Champions League quarter‑final against Sporting ‌on Tuesday.

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Nike is reportedly in advanced discussions to become the official supplier of match balls for European men's football competitions, a role long held by Adidas. The potential agreement, spanning 2027 to 2031, could give Nike a high-profile platform, though analysts caution it is unlikely to resolve deeper challenges facing the American sportswear giant.

The UEFA Club Competition Company (UC3), a joint venture between the Union of European Football Associations and European club representatives, confirmed it is negotiating exclusively with Nike. Adidas, which has provided balls for UEFA competitions for 25 years, announced it would not renew its contract. Sources familiar with the negotiations told The Financial Times that the deal's total value could exceed 40 million euros ($46.7 million) annually, roughly double previous terms.

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Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo moved another step closer to making football history after scoring his 967th career goal in Al Nassr’s emphatic 5–2 victory over Al-Najma in the Saudi Pro League.

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Chelsea have dropped their record signing Enzo Fernandez for two matches after the ⁠midfielder publicly cast doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge, manager Liam Rosenior said on Friday.