ohhh_yeah

Manchester United's second quarter results: Revenues down 12%, from £225.8m to £198.7m Broadcast revenue down 42%, from £106.4m to £61.6m Operating profit down 88.7%, from £27.5m to £3.1m Club debt up from £506.6m to £515.7m They owe £414m on transfer fees to other clubs

https://xcancel.com/bellbhoy68/status/1891970713856176483

https://xcancel.com/sportingminute/status/1892130248356982922

Richard Martin @RichMartinMcr "So United spent a total of £4.1m to sack Dan Ashworth in December, after spending £5m to release him from his contract at Newcastle...Effectively £9m down the drain"

@Park Life

Yulia Svyrydenko @Svyrydenko_Y "More good news as Ukraine has signed a historic Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates. This unique agreement essentially opens the door to the global market, considering the UAE’s role as a key economic, trade, and financial hub in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates is a leader in logistics and trade, which increasingly provides Ukraine with unprecedented opportunities. Secondly, this is not a traditional free trade agreement. The impressive scope is comprehensive, covering goods, services, investments, digital trade, and much more. Even short-term analysis shows that this agreement will help maintain a positive trade balance in merchandise trade. In the medium and long term, this partnership alone is expected to contribute around 0.10% to Ukraine's GDP growth trajectory. The agreement was signed jointly with the UAE Minister of International Trade, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi @ThaniAlZeyoudi, in the presence of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy @ZelenskyyUa, and the UAE’s President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan @MohamedBinZayed. What exactly does the agreement provide? Maximum market access liberalization for both our countries, covering almost all areas of bilateral trade. Ukrainian goods will gain full access to the UAE market for 96.6% of product lines. For certain goods (poultry meat, eggs, sunflower oil, and metal products), import tariff quotas will apply, with the possibility of duty-free trade within these limits. One of the most important outcomes is the creation of a Ukrainian-Emirati Investment Council, which will help increase the influx of investments and remove potential barriers faced by investors. We are grateful for the opportunities that this agreement opens for Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises. I am confident that the SME Committee, which we will establish under the agreement, will provide comprehensive business support, particularly in the areas of training and consulting. Ukrainian companies will gain simplified access to the markets of the UAE and other countries in the region, with predictable trade conditions and the removal of barriers to export and investment. The UAE has lifted the restriction for Ukraine on the foreign capital share of 49%. Now, Ukrainian entrepreneurs can register companies with a foreign capital share of up to 70%, and in some sectors—even gradually up to 100%. This applies, in particular, to commercial services, construction, education, healthcare, and accounting. When registering in the UAE’s free economic zones, the foreign capital share can be 100%. Another important area is digital trade. We guarantee the absence of customs duties on digital data transfers. We will work towards regulatory transparency for businesses that seek to join the digital economy. The highest growth rates are expected in sectors such as transportation, metallurgy, and the food industry—in particular, the milling sector and oil production. I am confident that this agreement will provide a powerful impetus for the development of our economies, enhance cooperation in key sectors, and serve as the foundation for further stable interaction between our countries. I would like to thank everyone who supported us during the preparation of this agreement. We have big plans, and we are confident that together we will reach a new level of cooperation with the United Arab Emirates."

"That goal is my passport. People around the world know me because of it." "As a striker, my first goal was perfect; with the second, I was lucky. The ball came to Shola Ameobi’s chest and he dropped it to me. I didn’t think twice: I took the shot and it went in. It was a great night against a big team and goalkeeper. "Afterwards, Didier Drogba even asked me, 'Who are you? What did you eat?' I still can’t explain that goal. People will score great goals, but that finish is only for me – it can’t happen to anyone else." "I’d actually turned down a move to Bayern Munich earlier that year to go to the Africa Cup of Nations. Bayern were interested in me, but only if I agreed to stay in Germany instead of going to the tournament." "Then, even though I was the top scorer in qualification, I didn’t play until the last group match! I told a friend, 'Look what’s going to happen at Newcastle – I’m going to score all the goals there that I didn’t score here.' My hunger came from not playing. I wanted to show I was ready. Some people were surprised by how well I did, but I was doing the exact same thing at Freiburg."

Monza have reappointed Alessandro Nesta as their manager seven weeks after sacking him.

Liam Delap will miss next weekend's match since he was booked after a post-match scuffle at Wolves.