Aston Villa manager Unai Emery did not blame the referee for the decision, despite being involved in a lengthy discussion with officials during the match.

He said: “We played a good first half. The second half the mistake changed everything. The key was the mistake we made.

“His mistake is completely strange. It’s only happened one time in all my life.”

Villa defender Ezri Konsa, added: “It is part of football. Our first loss in the Champions League and we have to move on, we cant be too down about it.

“I didn’t see it, I just saw the players running to the referee saying handball.

“It kills the game. If it is a handball, a deliberate one, why not give give him a second yellow? It is a mistake but we have to learn from it.”

Former Aston Villa defender Stephen Warnock said on BBC Sport: “Arsenal got away with doing the same thing against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season – maybe this time the referee has seen that the Brugge players are closing Mings down?

“I don’t think Tyrone Mings has looked at Emi Martinez at all when he took the goal-kick, which is why he thinks he can pick it up because he does not know it has been taken.”

Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio 5 live, said: “That’s ridiculous. It is crazy from Mings, absolutely crazy.

“What is he thinking? It’s a brain freeze from Mings. Tyrone Mings might have done it when he was three.”

Crouch added on TNT: “It was very, very bizarre.

“Even if you don’t think it is live, you don’t put your hand on it. It is a moment of madness. The moment he did it we all shouted that was a penalty.”

GIANNI INFANTINO did not hang about when congratulating Donald Trump.

The Fifa chief was beaten to the punch by Sir Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron in sending messages.

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But he got his good wishes out before anything from either Russia or Saudi Arabia.

Infantino — who has never attempted to hide his reverence for political strongmen — posted a picture on Instagram from an Oval Office meeting when he presented the now-returning President with a shirt with his name and No 26.

With the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico looming, Infantino wrote: “Congratulations Mr President!

“We will have a great Fifa World Cup and a great Fifa Club World Cup in the United States of America. Football unites the world.”

Tuesday’s election results, in which Trump’s slogan of MAGA­ — Make America Great Again — saw him on his way back to the White House, were greeted with a mix of emotions in the political world.

Yet Infantino’s response was further evidence that Trump’s comprehensive victory will have a significant impact on the sporting world.

And it will have a far further reach than when Trump helped Saint and Greavsie with a League Cup draw back in 1991!

This impact will not just be for football, where the game’s greatest showpiece — and newest invention — will both be held in the space of 12 months starting next summer.

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It will also have a big effect on golf, the Olympics and potentially other sports as well.

The main question is how Trump’s return to power will affect America’s relationship with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Trump has previously praised the Kremlin chief, leading to huge fears in Ukraine that they will be abandoned to their fate.

It is probably too late for Russia to be allowed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Uefa’s draw will be staged in Zurich next month, with Russia still banned after the invasion of their neighbours.

Unless there is an unlikely reversal, there is no obvious way Russia could be reverse-engineered into the tournament.

But one issue could be Iran’s participation.

The second Trump presidency is almost certain to double down on the anti-Tehran rhetoric and escalate the strong sanctions that are already in place against the country’s regime.

While Fifa has prevented teams from taking part in qualification in the past, no side that has earned a place has previously been excluded.

Yet an Iranian squad walking into the USA in 2026 — they are firmly on course to qualify — and then mouthing slogans hostile to the hosts would be seen as deliberate provocation.

For much of the Arab world, including Saudi Arabia, Iran is a pariah state.

Trump National courses in Washington DC, Miami and the New Jersey town of Bedminster hosted Saudi-backed LIV events across the three seasons of the breakaway golf tour.

His election win will only intensify the pressure on PGA Tour bosses to find a long-term agreement giving the Saudis a major role in the sport’s future.

LIV golfer and current US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau played a round with Trump for his YouTube channel and was invited on stage at the President-Elect’s victory rally yesterday.

The 2028 LA Olympics will also have an extra edge.

Trump, whose campaign promise was to “keep biological men out of women’s sport”, will be invited to address the Opening Ceremony.

The Paris boxing gender furore over Algerian Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu Ting has not dissipated.

IOC bosses have clamped down on “political” activity but a Trump presidency may be a target too big for trans rights activists or those from nations who feel threatened by Russia.

Trump could back Russia’s calls for their reintegration into the Olympics.

And that could spark the first mass boycott since the last LA Games in 1984, when the Warsaw Pact avenged the US-led abstention from Moscow four years earlier.

How World Cup 2026 will work with 104 matches, six games a day and 48 teams in biggest tournament ever

THE 2026 World Cup final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

There will be 48 teams, as opposed to the 32 that has been the norm since 1998. More from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Even, for the first time, a guaranteed slot for Oceania, and a record 104 MATCHES.

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The US, Mexico and Canada will host the expanded tournament, which will take place over 39 days.

Cases were made for alternative final venues, including Texas’ AT&T Stadium.

But it will be MetLife Stadium that hosts the showpiece occasion on July 19, 2026.

The 82,500-seater venue is one of seven that will need to have artificial surfaces replaced by grass for the tournament.

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The opening match of the tournament will be hosted by Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 11.

The iconic venue previously hosted World Cup finals in 1970 and 1986.

Just a couple of months ago, former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo expressed interest in a potential return to flyweight, but the division’s current champion isn’t buying it as Alexandre Pantoja doesn’t think Cejudo is seriously considering a drop from bantamweight.

Pantoja doesn’t have the confidence in Cejudo’s ability to get back down to 125 pounds at age 37 – unless maybe there’s medical intervention.

“When you go to the surgery doctor, yeah, he needs (liposuction) to make the weight,” Pantoja told MMA Junkie jokingly. “I don’t think he can make the weight again. He’s too big.”

Pantoja (28-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC), who returns to defend his belt against Japan’s Kai Asakura at UFC 310 on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas, likes the fight with Cejudo and sees it as a dream matchup. He just doesn’t think it can happen at 125 pounds.

“I’d love the opportunity,” Pnatoja said. “If Cejudo can do that, I’ll give him five pounds to fight. It will be a dream to fight with Cejudo, of course. He’s a legend.”

Pantoja and Cejudo share history. Cejudo was Pantoja’s coach during Pantoja’s stint on “The Ultimate Fighter” back in 2016. Yet, despite both competing at flyweight for several years, the two have never crossed paths.

Pantoja is now on a six-fight winning streak with two title defenses, while Cejudo is coming off two consecutive defeats, with one against then-champion Aljamain Sterling for the UFC bantamweight title.

Zheng Qinwen crushed Jasmine Paolini to reach the WTA Finals last four as an already-qualified Aryna Sabalenka lost to an inspired Elena Rybakina.

China’s Olympic gold medallist Zheng showcased her power in an easy 6-1 6-1 win that eliminated Italian Paolini.

It left the 22-year-old with a 2-1 group-stage record, with her sole loss coming against Sabalenka on the first day of the tournament.

Zheng is the second Chinese woman to reach the semi-finals of the tournament following the legendary Li Na in 2013.

“I didn’t know what would happen when I came here,” she said. “I just told myself to enjoy it, especially because I am in a really difficult group.”

Sabalenka, who clinched the year-end world number one ranking earlier in the week, fell 6-4 3-6 6-1 to Rybakina in a big-hitting encounter.

The Belarusian, 26, still finished the round-robin stage as the group winner, with her opponent already eliminated after losses to Zheng and Paolini.

“It’s nice to finish the year with at least one win against the world number one. I’m just happy,” said 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina.

Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul is nearly here and Tyson looks ready.

Next Friday, Tyson and Paul face off in an eight-round boxing match broadcast live on Netflix. The fight figures to be one of the biggest combat sports events of the year and while some have concerns about the 58-year-old Tyson returning to the ring, his coaches are not among them.

On Wednesday, Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions released training footage of Tyson training and though the former heavyweight champion is clearly not his best, he still packs one heck of a punch. That trademark Tyson power was on display during sparring where Tyson dropped his sparring partner with a powerful left hook.

The footage also shows Tyson going through his workout routine outside of sparring as he prepares to fight a man 30 years his junior.

Tyson was last in the ring for an exhibition bout against Roy Jones J. in 2020, and has not fought professionally since a 2005 loss to Kevin McBride. Paul last fought Mike Perry in July, scoring a sixth-round TKO.

Tyson vs. Paul takes place on Nov. 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.

NASCAR has penalized the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota of Bubba Wallace, the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of Austin Dillon, and the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet of Ross Chastain, due to what the Series has deemed potential race manipulation after the review of Sunday’s radio communications of those teams during the Martinsville Cup race.

The penalties are the same for the all three drivers and teams across the board: A $100,000 for each of the three teams involved and an additional $100,000 for each of the drivers, the loss of 50 driver and owner points, and one-race suspensions for crew chiefs, spotters and key team executives.

A closer look at how the penalties impact each team

23XI Racing team executive Dave Rogers, No. 23 crew chief Bootie Barker, and spotter Freddie Kraft have all been suspended. The points penalty drops Wallace from 17th to 18th in the championship standings.

Trackhouse team executive Tony Lunders, No. 1 crew chief Phil Surgen, and spotter Brandon McReynolds have been suspended for the championship finale as well. Chastain’s points position does not change as he remains 19th. 

At RCR, team executive Keith Rodden, No. 3 crew chief Justin Alexander, and spotter Brandon Benesch have been suspended for one race. The loss of 50 points affects Dillon the most, dropping him from 28th to 33rd in the driver standings.

All three teams initially planned to appeal, but 23XI has since withdrawn their appeal. The team released the following statement: “After internal deliberations, 23XI has decided not to appeal NASCAR’s decision to penalize the No. 23 team. We disagree with the penalty ruling and strong believe we did not break any rules at Martinsville. It is our conclusion that it is in our best interests, and that those of our team members, partners, and fans to fully devote our personnel and resources this week toward the championship and not an appeal.”

What did they do? 

Now, these punishments come as a result of what happened in the closing laps of the Round of 8 elimination race. As the checkered flag approached at Martinsville, Christopher Bell was trapped a lap down unable to gain any positions. William Byron was near the front, but fading on old tires. Only one point separated them with Byron having the edge.

Dillon and Chastain formed a rolling roadblock of sorts behind Byron, running side-by-side and never truly attempting to pass him. More importantly, they prevented anyone else from challenging the No. 24. At one point, the No. 3 team openly asked if the No. 1 knew “the deal” before instructing Dillon’s crew chief to inform Chastain’s crew chief.

While this was happening, the Toyota of Wallace was about half-a-lap ahead of Bell. “God forbid if we don’t help a f****** JGR car,” he radioed to his team. As the situation grew more dire for Bell, Wallace abruptly slowed, reporting a possible tire issue despite later observations from his spotter that all of the tires were fully inflated. Wallace’s pace fluctuating wildly but he remained on the track. On the final lap, he dropped nearly three seconds off the pace and Bell caught him entering the final corner on the final lap.

Bell got the point he needed — he was in the Championship 4 — for 27 minutes before NASCAR penalized him for the accidental wall-ride that followed his pass on Wallace.