Man Utd back Michael Carrick after emergency board meeting as UEFA hand down heavy Champions League fan bans

Man Utd stand by Michael Carrick ahead of Chelsea clash

Following an emergency board meeting, Manchester United have decided to stand by Michael Carrick ahead of their crucial clash with Chelsea, largely due to the astronomical cost of terminating his contract which runs until 2028, despite back-to-back defeats against Como and Bournemouth. United recently set an unwanted record by conceding inside the opening two minutes in consecutive European matches, allowing Como to complete 594 passes, while Newcastle's release clause for Eddie Howe is understood to be around £3 million.

UEFA hit RC Lens and Slovan Bratislava with severe sanctions

UEFA have officially handed down severe sanctions to RC Lens and Slovan Bratislava following crowd trouble, pyrotechnics, and fan disorder during the Champions League. RC Lens have been hit with a heavy €80,000 fine alongside a two-match away ticket ban for their upcoming fixtures against RB Leipzig and Liverpool. Meanwhile, Slovan Bratislava have been fined €40,000 and handed a one-match away ticket ban for their clash with LASK.