Off the Pitch

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso ended speculation of a potential move to one of his former clubs Liverpool or Bayern Munich in the close season when the Spaniard said on Friday that he was committed to staying with the Bundesliga leaders.

Alonso, who has a contract with Leverkusen until 2026, has become the talk of Europe and a reported target for top clubs after leading his team through an unbeaten season while challenging for three trophies.

Megan Rapinoe has stepped into the Korbin Albert controversy with a clear shot at the 20-year-old United States women’s national team midfielder.

Albert has been facing a tidal wave of backlash after fans discovered reposts on her TikTok that featured anti-LGBTQ+ posts. 

Albert also was caught liking a post that was celebrating and making fun of Rapinoe’s Achilles injury that ended her career in last year’s NWSL Championship game.

The Korbin Albert controversy kicked off Wednesday night when United States women’s national team fans discovered her far-right political reposts and likes on social media.

The reposts that got USWNT fans the most upset were on TikTok. It appears Albert’s account reposted videos about people needing to “be saved from being gay or transgender.”

Gotham FC and United States women’s national team forward Midge Purce is out for the season and unavailable for this summer’s Olympics after suffering an ACL injury.

Purce was substituted in the first half of her side’s 1-0 victory against the Portland Thorns on Sunday after picking up an injury.

The 28-year-old confirmed on social media that she had sustained an ACL injury and will be out for an extended period.

Midge Purce ACL injury

WROCLAW — Ukraine's qualification for the Euro 2024 soccer finals has cheered a country suffering hardship in its conflict with Russia and for a few weeks in June and July the tournament will provide a welcome distraction from the harsh reality of war.

The team came from behind to defeat Iceland 2-1 in their playoff final in neutral Poland on Tuesday and book a fourth successive appearance in the continental finals.

France and AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud is reportedly finalizing a summer transfer to LAFC following Euro 2024 according to The Athletic’s Tom Bogert.

Giroud has been Milan’s top scorer this season finding the back of the net 14 times and adding nine assists. The 39-year-old Frenchman has aged like a fine wine.

His contract with the Italian giants will expire in June and it appears that a move to Major League Soccer is on the horizon.

Sweden international and star New York Red Bulls signing Emil Forsberg has been accused of “ghosting” his wife and children since the transfer from RB Leipzig to Major League Soccer.

Forsberg’s wife, Shanga, took to social media announcing she’s filing for divorce and exposed the 32-year-old of neglecting his family. Shanga and Emil had been in a relationship for 19 years and have two children.

Emil Forsberg wife files for divorce

The Houston Dash fired goalkeepers coach Matt Lampson for an alleged violation of the NWSL's policies against fraternization.

The league and the team engaged a third-party attorney to investigate claims that Lampson, 34, had an improper relationship with a player.

BERLIN — The German Football Association (DFB) announced that American sportswear giant Nike would become their official supplier from 2027 onwards, ending a decades-long partnership with German firm Adidas.

The DFB said on Thursday Nike would supply all national teams from 2027 to 2034, having made the best financial offer.

"The coming partnership allows the DFB for the next decade to work on central tasks with a view to developing football in Germany," DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement.

Germany Adidas split

BARCELONA — Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves can be released from jail on a $1.1 million bail while he appeals his rape conviction, after serving about a quarter of his four-and-a-half-year sentence, a Barcelona court ruled on Wednesday.

The conditions for Alves' release include relinquishing both his Brazilian and Spanish passports so he cannot leave Spain as well as an obligation to appear before the court on a weekly basis or whenever summoned.

The court also imposed a restraining order barring Alves from coming within 3,300 feet of the victim.