Switzerland beat Italy by 2-0 in Berlin to qualify for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Euro 2024. Freuler scored the opener for Switzerland in the first half and then Vargas scored a stunning curler right after the start of the second half to double the lead. Italy never looked comfortable in the game and Switzerland completely dominated the game right from the start. Italy came close a few times later in the match but the Swiss defence was ready to clear out everything. 

Read Also: UEFA Euro 2024: Every Team Qualified for the Round Of 16

Switzerland vs Italy: A brief highlight of the game

Embolo had a brilliant chance to score the opener in the 24th minute but Donnarumma denied it from going in. But, Freuler scored 13 minutes later after receiving a pass from Vargas. Freuler was completely unmarked. He took a touch and then hit it towards the near post. Donnarumma could do nothing and the ball went in. 

The second half started with a bang with Vargas scoring a beautiful goal from outside of the box. Italy didn't close him down and the Swiss winger had all the time in the world to unleash a beautiful curler. Once again, Donnarumma could do nothing to stop the ball from going in. It was a nearly perfect hit and Switzerland doubled the lead.

Later Scamacca had a chance to put one back but he missed the opportunity. Schar hit his own post with a header but other than that, Italy couldn't create anything special. 

Follow us on Twitter for all the updates on the upcoming matches. Subscribe to our newsletter to have the latest news on your favourite sport. 

The stage is set for an epic showdown as Italy takes on France in what promises to be an exciting Nations League clash. With a storied history of rivalries and memorable encounters, both teams come into this match with high stakes.

Italy secured their spot in the Nations League knockout phase on Thursday night with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Belgium, thanks to Sandro Tonali’s early strike. The Azzurri’s fourth win in five matches came after overcoming a few nervy moments, extending their unbeaten run since their disappointing Euro 2024 exit.

Luciano Spalletti's men have shown remarkable improvement, previously defeating Israel twice and holding Belgium to a draw in Rome despite being reduced to 10 men for nearly an hour. The campaign began on a high in September when Italy bounced back from conceding in just 13 seconds to beat arch-rivals France at Parc des Princes.

Now through to the quarter-finals in March, Italy could secure top spot in Group 2 with a result on Sunday. They need to avoid a loss by two goals or more. Meanwhile, although France has also qualified for the next round, their November camp has been far from smooth.

Read Also| Olympique Lyonnais faces provisional relegation and transfer ban

Match Details

Match: Italy vs France

Date: 17 November 2024

Time: 1:15 AM IST

Venue: San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy

Streaming Details

Indian viewers can stream the game live on the SonyLIV app and website. The TV broadcast will be on Sony Sports Network channels.

Read Also| Most goal contributions so far in Europe's top 5 leagues this season

Head-to-Head Stats

Matches Played: 13

France wins: 7

Italy wins: 5

Draws: 1

Read Also| Paul Pogba terminates contract with Juventus after mutual agreement

Team News and Injury Update

🌅🍂 pic.twitter.com/TW4qYHuQik

— Italy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@Azzurri_En) November 16, 2024

With qualification already secured, Italy may opt for some changes to their lineup, potentially rotating their attack. 

Italy's injury concerns include Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori, Torino midfielder Samuele Ricci, and long-term absentees Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini. Manuel Locatelli has been called up to replace Ricci and will compete with Nicolo Rovella for a midfield spot.

😶‍🌫️ pic.twitter.com/iMh21A0kB7

— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) November 16, 2024

On the other hand, France will be without Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé, whose absence remains unexplained, as well as injured players Wesley Fofana, Ousmane Dembélé, Loïc Badé, and Aurélien Tchouaméni.

AC Milan duo Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan are expected to start on familiar ground at San Siro. At the same time, Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram will contend with Randal Kolo Muani for the central striker role. Kingsley Coman, brought in to replace the injured Dembélé, is in the mix alongside Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola for starting spots in France's attacking lineup.

Read Also| Substitutions that changed the football history

Possible Starting XI

Italy's possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Cambiaso, Frattesi, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Barella; Retegui

France possible starting lineup: Maignan; Kounde, Konate, Saliba, Hernandez; Kante, Rabiot; Olise, Zaire-Emery, Barcola; Thuram

Belgium is set to host Italy in a fiery encounter in the UEFA Nations League group game, scheduled to kick off at 1:15 AM IST on 15 November 2024. The match will take place at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium.

Who is going to take top spot in Group A2? 🤔#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/erlN2PCYQ7

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) November 11, 2024

Belgium is currently in the 3rd position in the Nations League Group A2 having 4 points in 4 matches. Belgium snatched a point against Italy in the Nations League encounter in October 2024, as Leandro Trossard put up a brilliant performance with 1 goal and 1 assist in the 2-2 draw.

However, Belgium lost 1-2 against France in their last outing in the Nations League. Domenico Tedesco's men bagged only one win in their last five matches; so they will be hungry for a win against Italy.

Last 5 Matches: L W L D L

On the contrary, Italy is currently positioned 1st in the Nations League Group A2, with 10 points in 4 matches. The Azzurri will focus on another win to increase their gap with second-placed France and solidify their chance of qualifying for the semi-finals, before facing France in the last group game on 18 November 2024. 

Luciano Spalletti's men thrashed Israel by 4-1 in their last game following a 2-2 draw against Belgium at San Siro. However, they will meet again tonight in the Nations League encounter.

Last 5 Matches: L W W D W 

Match Details

Match: Belgium vs Italy

Date: 15 November 2024

Time: 1:15 AM IST

Venue: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium

Streaming Details

Indian viewers can stream the game live on the SonyLIV app and website. The TV broadcast will be on Sony Sports Network channels.

Head-to-head Stats (Since 2000)

Matches Played: 7

Belgium wins: 1

Italy wins: 5

Draws: 1

Previous Records

Since 2000, Belgium and Italy have faced each other 7 times. Italy has the lion's share in winning as they have won 5 times in this fixture. Belgium has won only once since 2000. The other match ended in a draw, which was the last meeting between these two teams in October 2024. 

Here are the previous records between these two teams since 2000:

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin responded to recent criticism of footballers playing an excessive number of matches and warned that reducing the number of matches can result in less revenue and lower wages for the players.

According to The Sun, the UEFA President stated:

Ceferin sparked controversy after the General Assembly of the European Clubs Association, held in October 2024, where he stated that only the high-paid players expressed dissatisfaction, while those who earn less did not make any public statement regarding the issue. 

The European calendar of football and its unbalance were discussed in the assembly though Ceferin admitted that the schedule in congested and reached the maximum limit. 

The long-growing displeasure

UEFA and FIFA had already been slammed by footballers and coaches about the increasing number of games per season.

UEFA faced severe criticism after introducing the UEFA Nations League, back in 2018 with a new format including promotion and relegation. Controversies started hovering as various theories suggested this tournament to be a series of friendlies branded into a tournament to generate more revenue for UEFA. 

The Nations League matches are played during the international breaks when European teams used to feature in friendlies or take part in the qualifiers matches. 

However, many prominent footballers and managers did not welcome the idea of this new tournament. Following the 2021 UEFA Nations League third-place play-off match between Italy and Belgium on 10 October 2021, Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois publicly criticized FIFA and UEFA in the post-match interview with Sky Sports:

"This game is just a money game and we have to be honest about it,"

"We just play it because for UEFA it's extra money.

"They can be angry about other teams wanting a Super League but they don't care about the players, they just care about their pockets.

"It's a bad thing that players are not spoken about. And now you hear about a European Championship and a World Cup every year, when will we get a rest? Never."

"So in the end top players will get injured and injured and injured. It's something that should be much better and much more taken care of,

"We are not robots! It's just more and more games and less rest for us and nobody cares about us."

Former Germany coach Hansi Flick addressed his concern about the increasing number of matches in a press conference on 10 June 2022. Flick responded to a question:

"This should be looked at and we need to ask ourselves how we can offer players a break because that is important,"

"UEFA or FIFA should look into these things and take some measures."

In a very recent interview ahead of Belgium's clash against Israel in the Nations League in September 2024, Courtois' national team-mate Kevin De Bruyne addressed the same issue along with the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, which is set to be played in 2025.

🚨⚠️ De Bruyne: “The PFA and other player associations have tried to find solutions…”.

“The issue is UEFA and FIFA keep adding extra matches”.

“We can raise concerns, but no solutions have been found”.

“It seems money speaks louder than players' voices!”, says via @Reuters. pic.twitter.com/8PzTIogMlQ

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 7, 2024

"The real problem will emerge after the Club World Cup...We know there will be only three weeks between the Club World Cup final and the first Premier League match. So, we have three weeks to rest and prepare for another 80 matches,"

"The issue is that UEFA and Fifa keep adding extra matches, and we can raise concerns, but no solutions have been found. It seems that money speaks louder than the players' voices"

via Reuters

Criticism and legal actions regarding the expanded FIFA Club World Cup 2025

The FIFA Club World 2025 will introduce an expanded format that will feature 32 participating teams competing for the glory. This new tournament has further increased the number of matches in a season and resulted in grievances from prominent players and managers.

2024 Ballon d'Or winner and Manchester City's midfielder Rodri expressed his concern about the excessive number of games and said that every player should have an optimum number of matches to play every season.

"From my experience I can tell you that 60-70 [is no good]. Between 40 and 50 is the amount of games in which a player can perform in the highest level. After that you drop because it is impossible to sustain the physical level."

"This year we can go to 70, maybe 80, I don’t know. It depends how far you go in the competitions. It is too much. We have to take care of ourselves. Someone has to take care of ourselves because we are the main characters of this sport or business or whatever you want to call it."

via The Guardian

However, this long-growing cold war between the players or officials and the governing bodies has now turned into a legal battle. 

The tension emerged when FIFPro, the worldwide players' union, and the European Leagues, which represents 37 domestic leagues submitted a legal claim against FIFA on 13 June 2024, "challenging the legality of FIFA's decisions to unilaterally set the International Match Calendar and, in particular, the decision to create and schedule the FIFA Club World Cup 2025."

Here is the official legal claim.

"We don't have enough dates anymore in the calendar."

The Premier League's director of international relations, Mathieu Moreuil, states that legal action is the 'only option' as they allege that FIFA have failed to consult properly regarding football fixtures 😬 pic.twitter.com/GHqgwY8rgF

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 14, 2024

At the European Commission in Brussels On 14 October 2024, the protesting bodies jointly filed a legal complaint against FIFA over FIFA's imposition on match calendars. 

Check the official legal complaint here.

The third international break of the year has already started and the players are on their national duties. But the question remains, will there be any change regarding this distressing issue?

Hello and welcome to Sportz Point's coverage of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 League phase draw.

The new season of the UEFA Champions League is set to begin and the league phase draw will take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco today.

This draw on Thursday will also be the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Champions League. It will see more teams, a different format, and the chance for greater competition, with the tournament beginning on September 17.

This is Abishek Goswami, bringing you all the updates from the web desk. 

Follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scores.

Sports governing bodies are constantly tweaking the rules of play to enhance competition, player safety, and fan experience. Several major leagues rolled out impactful new regulations for the 2024 season. Let's explore some of the most notable changes in sports rules introduced across football, baseball, soccer, cricket, rugby, and more this year.

New Kickoff Format in the NFL

The NFL overhauled its kickoff rules for 2024 in an effort to improve safety and boost excitement. Kickoffs now feature a "landing zone" between the receiving team's goal line and 20-yard line. Aside from the kicker, the kicking team lines up 5 yards apart at the receiving team's 40-yard line. They can't move until the ball is caught or hits the ground.

This setup encourages more returns while reducing high-speed collisions that commonly cause concussions. Additional changes allow creative onside kick attempts in the 4th quarter. So far, the revamped kickoffs have been well-received. Returns are up, injuries are down, and fans are enjoying the intriguing strategic implications.

Fewer 100-Minute Matches at Euro 2024

Football matches stretching well over 100 minutes due to excessive injury time were commonplace at the 2022 World Cup. But Europe's governing body UEFA took a different approach for its 2024 European Championship tournament. Rather than meticulously adding on every second lost to celebrations and subs, referees focused on restarting play quickly.

As a result, Euro 2024 matches adhered much closer to 90 minutes on average. Only captains could speak to referees, reducing dissent. VAR explanations were also displayed on stadium screens to improve transparency. While some fans missed the added drama, others appreciated UEFA reining in meandering matches.

Read Also | Top Five youngest scorers in UEFA Euro history 

New Pace-of-Play Rules in Major League Baseball

MLB introduced several subtle but impactful rule tweaks for 2024 designed to improve pace-of-play. The pitch timer was reduced from 20 to 18 seconds with runners on base, attempting to claw back some of the time increase observed over the course of last season.

Mound visits were reduced from 5 to 4 per team. Pitching changes now shave 15 seconds off the between-innings timer. Circumvention tactics like delaying the pitcher's arrival to the mound and meeting the umpire before he places the ball in play are now prohibited.

While games still averaged nearly 3 hours, these changes represent MLB's continued efforts to combat dead time. Fans have responded positively to the increased flow and action.

MLB also issued new guidance aimed at reducing unsafe blocking of bases. Players will be called for obstruction if they position themselves to impede a runner's path before receiving the ball. This protects baserunners while encouraging aggressive base-running.

New Penalty Law in English Football

One of the most discussed rule changes in English football this season regards penalties. IFAB clarified that referees should not automatically show a yellow card to players who commit handball and concede a penalty. This gives referees more flexibility when interpreting intent on handballs.

The aim is to only caution players for deliberate, tactical fouls. Inadvertent handballs leading to penalties should not draw a booking. This nuanced approach has received praise for balancing fairness and common sense application of the rules. Those who take advantage of a free bet offer from Kwiff and bet on bookings will need to bear this new rule in mind.

Read Also | Like umpire's call, Premier League introduces referee's call: Here are all the new things you will see in Premier League this season 

More Points for Drawn Matches in County Cricket

In the 2024 County Championship cricket tournament, a drawn match will now be rewarded with 8 points for each county. This is increased from 5 points for a draw last season. The aim is to better incentivise teams to bat long while still pushing for victory.

With batting bonus points unchanged, the tweaked draw points system should encourage high-quality pitches and competitive multi-day cricket.

New Offside Law in Rugby

World Rugby introduced a law change regarding offside in front of a kicker for 2024. Previously, a player could be deemed onside if the opposing catcher ran 5 meters or passed the ball after fielding a kick. The new law removes these allowances, requiring offside players to actively work to get onside rather than remaining stationary. This should reduce "kick tennis" stalemates and improve flow.

The key sports leagues are thinking creatively about how to improve their product. It will be fascinating to see what new regulations are tested out across various sports in the years to come. For now, the early returns on this year's crop of rule changes are largely positive. The altered kick-off format, pitch timer adjustments, and base-blocking guidance all seem to be enhancing their respective sports.