Manchester City Found Guilty as Ronaldo Walks Out on Portugal

The verdict that English football has spent years anticipating finally arrived on Thursday. Manchester City were found guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules — a ruling that ranks among the most significant disciplinary outcomes in the competition's history. The punishment remains to be determined, but the findings themselves, detailing alleged financial manipulation and sham contracts worth £900 million, sent immediate shockwaves through the game. Andy Burnham's public intervention in the aftermath reopened a simmering rift between the government and the Premier League, with officials said to be unhappy at the manner of the verdict's publication. Real Madrid, meanwhile, submitted what they called evidence of extraordinary gravity to UEFA over Barcelona's payments to a former referees' official, ensuring it was a heavy day for football's relationship with its own rules and institutions.

Off the pitch, Cristiano Ronaldo's dramatic walkout from the Portugal squad dominated the continent's back pages. The 41-year-old left camp after coach Jorge Jesus left him on the bench — an apparent provocation following a lengthy warm-up without substitution — and promised to give his version of events. Portugal, evidently undisrupted, beat Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen regardless. Jürgen Klopp, meanwhile, opened his Germany tenure with a composed 2-0 win over Serbia in Munich, Florian Wirtz among the scorers as the new manager made an encouraging start.