Lionel Messi has completed the acquisition of UE Cornellà, the Catalonia-based club announced on April 16, 2026. The Argentina captain and Inter Miami forward, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, has taken full ownership of the modest club from Cornellà de Llobregat; financial terms were not disclosed. UE Cornellà competes in Spain’s lower leagues (Tercera Federación / regional levels often reported as the fifth tier) and is known for a productive youth academy that helped develop players such as David Raya and Jordi Alba. The club said Messi’s arrival “marks the beginning of a new chapter,” with a strategic plan emphasising sporting and institutional growth, sustainability and local talent development. The purchase reinforces Messi’s long-standing ties to Barcelona and follows a recent spate of high-profile player investments in Spanish clubs, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s stake in Almería. The announcement did not outline immediate operational changes, investment amounts or timelines for promotion ambitions, but signalled a clear focus on youth development and strengthening the club’s institutional foundations.

Arsenal edged closer to their first Premier League title in 22 years after a dramatic 1-0 win over relegation-threatened West Ham at the London Stadium on May 10-11, 2026. Leandro Trossard’s 83rd-minute strike proved decisive, and a stoppage-time equaliser by Callum Wilson was ruled out following a lengthy VAR review. Referee Chris Kavanagh, having been invited to review the incident by VAR Darren England, disallowed the goal for what was judged to be a foul by West Ham’s Pablo on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, who had appeared impeded while attempting to claim a corner. The decision — subject to a near three- to four-minute pitch-side review — extended Arsenal’s lead to five points over Manchester City. West Ham, who sit 18th with two games remaining, complained about inconsistent application of laws at set-pieces, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and pundits praised the officials’ courage. The controversy has reignited debate over VAR consistency, with surveys and voices across media and former players questioning how similar incidents are being adjudicated across the season.

Liverpool has released images and plans for a permanent memorial at Anfield to honour forward Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who died in a car crash in northwestern Spain last July. Titled “Forever 20”, the sculpture will sit on 97 Avenue near the Main Stand and features a flowing heart design that, from different angles, reveals the numbers 20 and 30 — the brothers’ squad numbers. The piece will rest on a Granby rock‑faced stone plinth laser‑engraved with a dedication and will incorporate thousands of physical tributes left by fans through a recycling process. The memorial will also include the lyrics of the chant sung in Jota’s honour during the 20th minute at matches and personal details reflecting his life off the pitch, including a games controller motif. Liverpool permanently retired the No. 20 shirt across men’s, women’s and academy teams; Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club and was part of recent domestic trophy-winning sides. The club has not yet announced an official unveiling date.

MANCHESTER, May 9 (Reuters) - Manchester City kept the Premier League title race alive with a 3-0 victory over Brentford at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Jeremy Doku opened the scoring with a curled strike just after the hour, Erling Haaland bundled in a second around the 75th minute and Omar Marmoush added a stoppage-time third. The win leaves City on 74 points from 35 games, two behind leaders Arsenal, who have 76 and a one-goal advantage in goal difference, with three matches remaining. City remain unbeaten in the league since January but cannot claim the title without Arsenal dropping points — Arsenal travel to West Ham on Sunday. The match also dented Brentford’s European hopes; they sit eighth, four points off the top six. Brentford had penalty appeals dismissed after a VAR check. City still face a congested run-in, including a midweek home game against Crystal Palace and an FA Cup final next weekend.

The Montreal Canadiens lead the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in the NHL Second Round after a decisive win at Bell Centre that gave Montreal home-ice advantage heading into Game 4 on Tuesday, May 11, 2026 (7 p.m. EDT). The series opened with Buffalo taking Game 1, but Montreal responded to even the series and then won the latest meeting; Alexander Newhook had a two-goal night in the most recent Canadiens victory. Key skaters include Nicholas Suzuki (29 goals, 72 assists, 101 points this season) and Tage Thompson (40 goals, 41 assists). Injuries have impacted rosters: Canadiens forward Patrik Laine is out (abdomen); Buffalo lists Noah Ostlund (lower body), Jiri Kulich (season-ending ear injury) and Justin Danforth (season-ending kneecap) among notable absences, with Sam Carrick day-to-day. National broadcasters and streamers are carrying the games (ESPN, Fubo). Betting markets show Montreal as the favorite (around -125 to -135) with over/under lines near 5.5–6; predictive models and analytics services are favoring the over in several simulations. The series has featured high-scoring affairs and strong offensive performances from both clubs.

Arsenal picked up significant injury concerns during their 1-0 Premier League win at West Ham on May 10, 2026, as right-back Ben White limped off after a knee collision with Crysencio Summerville and Riccardo Calafiori was also substituted at half-time with an unspecified problem. White left the London Stadium wearing a knee brace and faces scans and further tests; manager Mikel Arteta warned “it does not look good”. The injuries force a tactical reshuffle during the match — Declan Rice was temporarily moved to right-back and Martin Zubimendi introduced — and further strain a squad already missing Jurrien Timber (groin/ankle) and with Mikel Merino recovering from foot surgery. The setbacks complicate Arsenal’s run-in against Manchester City in the Premier League, raise doubts over availability for the Champions League final on May 30 in Budapest, and could affect White’s late push for a place in England’s World Cup squad.