Lead:
The Egyptian Football Association officially appointed Ali Maher as head coach of the national team on Saturday, replacing Hossam Hassan following a series of crises and international sanctions that marked the final weeks of Hassan's tenure despite guiding Egypt to the World Cup 2026 round of 16.
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Ali Maher named Egypt national team coach — The Egyptian Football Association confirmed Ali Maher, former technical director of Ceramica Cleopatra, as the new head coach succeeding Hossam Hassan. Maher's technical staff will include Mohamed Abdel Karim as general coach, Mustafa Fathy as goalkeeping coach, and Saad Samir as administrative director.Real Madrid defeats Valencia 3-0 to level with Barcelona — Federico Valverde, Arda Guler, and Kylian Mbappé scored as Real Madrid won away at Valencia in La Liga round 12. Both teams now hold 30 points, with Barcelona ahead on goal difference; Barcelona plays Atletico Madrid on Sunday.Arsenal beats Hull City 1-0 to extend Premier League lead — Martin Odegaard scored in the 72nd minute as Arsenal defeated Hull City, extending the defending champion's lead to 27 points. Manchester City suffered its third consecutive league defeat, losing 3-1 to Nottingham Forest and falling six points behind Arsenal.Paris Saint-Germain extends winning streak to 11 matches — Paris SG beat Troyes 1-0 for its seventh consecutive league victory. Newly promoted Paris FC occupies second place in the French top division, three points behind PSG in a rare dominance of the capital's football landscape.Sharjah reaches top of ADNOC Professional League — Sharjah defeated Al Ahli Youth 2-0 at the Whites Stadium in round eight, moving to the summit with 15 points. Goalkeeper Adel Al Hosni achieved 100 clean sheets in his career with the club.Al Arabi reclaims UAE Pro League lead — Al Arabi won 3-0 away at Al Ittifaq in round nine, returning to first place with 19 points. Wesley Braga and Regis Giakoumin scored in the victory.What to Watch:
Barcelona faces Atletico Madrid on Sunday in El Derbi Madrileño at the Metropolitano Stadium, round 12 of La Liga — a contest between the first and third-placed sides. In the ADNOC Professional League on Sunday, Al Wasl hosts Al Jazira and Al Wahda faces Al Ain in fixtures that will reshape the UAE title race.