WTF

Arsenal's out-of-favor playmaker Mesut Özil has been left out of their Europa League squad for the 2020-21 campaign, giving rise to media speculation that he might have played his last game for the Premier League side.

Czech footballer Antonin Panenka, whose cheeky winning penalty technique against Germany in the 1976 European Championship has been copied by some of the game's greatest players, is in intensive care at a hospital, his former club said on Wednesday.

Panenka, 71, led the Czechoslovak national team to their only international title after he lofted the decisive penalty past a surprised and sprawling German goalkeeper Sepp Maier in the shoot-out of the final.

Ukraine have included 45-year-old retired goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy in the squad for Wednesday's friendly against France after three other keepers tested positive for COVID-19, the country's football federation (UAF) said.

Shovkovskiy, who retired in 2016 and has made 92 appearances for Ukraine, is currently assistant to head coach Andriy Shevchenko.

German prosecutors and tax authorities searched offices of the German Football Association (DFB) as well as private homes of current and former officials on suspicion of serious tax evasion, the Frankfurt prosecutors' office said on Wednesday.

It said six unnamed former and current officials of the DFB were suspected of having intentionally falsely declared income from advertising in soccer stadiums during home games of the national team in 2014 and 2015 as income from asset management, leading to $5.5 million in unpaid taxes.

As the transfer window slammed shut on Monday, two former England internationals were left stuck outside in the cold.

Ex-Manchester United and Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck and former Gunner Jack Wilshere ended the trading period without clubs after their contracts were terminated.

Welbeck was released by Watford after their relegation from the Premier League left them looking to cut their wage bill. Media reports said the 29-year-old, who has suffered a series of injuries in his career, was earning $130,000 a week at the club.

Chelsea stars Tammy Abraham and Ben Chilwell are in hot water along with Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho after video was released from a party held in London this past weekend. 

Abraham, celebrating his 23rd birthday, came home to a large group of friends and family ready to surprise him. His Chelsea teammate Chilwell and Dortmund’s Sancho were among the group.