ROME (ITALPRESS) – Tensions between Real Madrid and France Football continue. According to the Spanish press, particularly Marca, “a delegation from France Football traveled to Madrid to seek an agreement for the upcoming Gala – for the awarding of the Ballon d’Or – but the meetings did not end successfully.”

Last year saw the well-known controversy involving Los Blancos, who boycotted the popular end-of-year ceremony with the entire squad in protest over Vinicius Junior’s failure to win the Ballon d’Or, which was instead awarded to Rodri. The Manchester City midfielder finished first, ahead of three Real Madrid players: Vinicius (second), Bellingham (third), and Dani Carvajal (fourth).

Now history may repeat itself. The favorites for the 2025 Ballon d’Or are in fact Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

 

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Zinedine Zidane has long been rumored to be the next coach of the French national team after the 2026 World Cup. The French coach, who has been away from the bench and the pitch since 2021, the end of his last stint at Real Madrid, according to “L’Equipe,” is preparing for his next adventure. According to the famous French newspaper, Zidane analyzes many matches during this period and is in constant contact with Laurent Blanc, coach of the French national team from 2010 to 2012.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – The news had been in the air for days. Now it’s official: Nuno Espirito Santo is no longer the manager of Nottingham Forest. The Portuguese-Saotome native has been “relieved of his duties as manager,” according to a statement from the club today.

The English club is now searching for a new manager: according to the British press, Australian-Greek Ange Postecoglou is in pole position to replace Espirito Santo. The suggestion of José Mourinho’s return to the Premier League, this time at the helm of Nottingham Forest, is currently more remote.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LEVERKUSEN (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – Kasper Hjulmand has been named the new head coach of Bayer Leverkusen. The German club announced the news in a statement specifying that the Danish manager has signed a contract until June 30, 2027, succeeding Erik ten Hag.

“I have always seen Bayer as a very well-managed, well-structured, and highly ambitious club. This impression has only grown stronger in recent days,” Hjulmand said. “It is an honor to be entrusted with such a team. After the extraordinary successes of the past, I am highly motivated by the task of shaping the future of Bayer Leverkusen together with established players and new talents.”

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

PORTO (PORTUGAL) (ITALPRESS) – The Portuguese Football Federation has announced that Francisco Conceição will return to Turin due to a muscle injury. The Juventus winger will therefore miss tomorrow’s 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Hungary. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to recover in time for Saturday. Conceição had already missed Portugal’s training sessions in recent days: the player arrived from Juventus not in top condition.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

PARIS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – Ruud Gullit and Kate Scott will host the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, scheduled for September 22 at the Châtelet Theatre in Paris. The announcement was made official by France Football, two weeks after the winner of the prestigious award was revealed. Gullit, a Dutch football legend and 1987 Ballon d’Or winner, won two European Cups with AC Milan in 1989 and 1990. Scott, a British journalist, is a spokesperson for CBS Sports and hosts Champions League broadcasts alongside Thierry Henry.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – The reconstruction and rehabilitation operation for the homes affected by the Al Haouz earthquake in Marrakech is progressing at a steady pace, with an advancement rate that has already reached 85%. Thanks to the joint efforts of local authorities and the various parties involved, the works are fully in line with the high royal directives.

Launched in February 2024, the reconstruction and rehabilitation works have already made it possible to complete around 2,620 homes, in compliance with technical and anti-seismic standards. According to local authorities, the advancement rate is expected to reach 90% by the end of September and rise to 96% in the following two months.
Despite logistical and technical challenges, the speed of execution is far greater than that recorded in other international experiences, where reconstruction operations took at least three years.

The programme is proceeding with very positive results: only 4% of families have not yet started work, due to inheritance disputes or technical difficulties. In these cases, the authorities have already initiated the necessary legal procedures, urging the beneficiaries to follow the example of the others.

It should be recalled that the preliminary operations required significant efforts: census of the affected population, removal of rubble from more than 2,300 collapsed homes, and issuance of building permits. Despite these complexities, the current outcome remains very positive, confirming the determination of the Moroccan authorities to swiftly complete the revival of the neighborhoods affected by the earthquake.

The Marrakech region was struck on September 8, 2023, by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that caused 3,000 deaths. The action of the Moroccan authorities, rapid and carried out with national resources, was welcomed with appreciation at the global level.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Fitch Ratings has reaffirmed Malta’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) at ‘A+’ with a stable outlook, citing strong economic performance but warning about governance concerns and persistent budget deficits.

The agency highlighted Malta’s “robust” growth, high per capita income and EU membership, but balanced these against the country’s small economic size and a “significant deterioration in governance perception.” Malta’s economy has grown by 86% since 2014, far outpacing the Eurozone average of 14%. Fitch reported average GDP growth of 6.5% over the past decade, compared to a 3.8% median for other ‘A’-rated countries. Per capita GDP stood at 109% of the EU average last year. Future growth forecasts remain positive, with Fitch projecting 4.3% in 2025 and 4.1% in 2026, following a strong 6% in 2024. Growth has been fuelled by rapid labour force expansion, though tighter immigration rules are expected to slow momentum.

Employment surged as the workforce nearly doubled from 180,000 in 2015 to 320,000 in 2024, supported by around 100,000 foreign workers. Malta’s unemployment rate stands at 3.1%, among the lowest in the EU. The government’s budget deficit narrowed to 3.7% of GDP in 2023, with Fitch expecting further declines to 2.5% by 2027. Debt levels are projected to stabilise near 47% of GDP—below both the EU’s 60% ceiling and the ‘A’ median of 57%. Still, the agency warned that Malta’s World Bank governance indicators have fallen sharply since 2013, particularly in government effectiveness and corruption control. Fitch noted that progress in addressing governance weaknesses could support an upgrade, while rising debt or external shocks could trigger a downgrade.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

PARIS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – On the eve of France-Iceland, a World Cup qualifying match, Didier Deschamps returned to the controversy surrounding the injuries of Desiré Doué and Ousmane Dembelé against Ukraine on Friday night in Wroclaw, Poland.

“What happened, happened. I’m sorry for Ousmane and ‘Dez’, because we’re losing two key players for tomorrow’s match,” admitted the French coach. However, he dismisses PSG’s accusations: “We acted professionally, progressively, as we do with all players, taking their emotions into account. Unfortunately, it happened and it involves two PSG players. Now, PSG is not our opponent, the clubs never have been, even if our interests may differ. Our only opponent is Iceland,” Deschamps ended.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – CrediaBank is set to complete one of Malta’s most significant banking transactions in years, with a final agreement on the acquisition of HSBC Malta expected within September, according to CEO Eleni Vrettou.

Speaking in an interview with Greek business outlet Capital.gr, Vrettou said the deal would mark the bank’s first international expansion, positioning Malta as a strategic hub. “The country offers a unique combination of strengths: EU and Eurozone membership, a strategic location, and the highest growth rate in the Eurozone,” she noted.

HSBC Malta currently holds around 20 per cent of the local market, with €8 billion in assets and €90 million in annual post-tax profits. If the acquisition goes through, CrediaBank’s size would double, with assets surpassing €15 billion and profits rising by up to €100 million annually.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews