Galatasaray midfielder Noa Lang has said his surgery “went well” after suffering a serious thumb injury during his side’s Champions League defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

The 26-year-old Netherlands international was injured in the 76th minute of Wednesday’s last-16 match after colliding with advertising hoardings. He immediately fell to the ground clutching his right hand and appeared to be in severe pain.

Lang was attended to by medical staff on the pitch, receiving oxygen before being stretchered off. Liverpool players Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk were seen consoling him during the incident.

Galatasaray confirmed on Thursday that Lang had suffered a “serious cut” to his right thumb. The player later shared an update from Whiston Hospital, posting a photo alongside medical staff.

“Surgery went well! Thanks for all the messages,” he wrote.

Head coach Okan Buruk described the injury as serious following the match, which Liverpool won 4-1 on aggregate.

Officials from Liverpool and UEFA were seen inspecting the advertising boards involved after the game, though no official comment has yet been issued.

Galatasaray were also dealt another blow, with Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen sustaining a fracture to his right forearm during the first half.

Osimhen was injured in a challenge with Ibrahima Konaté but initially continued playing before being substituted at half-time. The club confirmed that a cast has been applied, with a decision on possible surgery to follow further medical assessment.

Buruk criticised referee Paweł Raczkowski over the handling of the incident, expressing frustration at the officiating.

Liverpool will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Morocco national football team have been officially declared winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after Confederation of African Football (CAF) overturned the result of the final against Senegal national football team.

Senegal had originally won the final 1-0 on 18 January, with Pape Gueye scoring the decisive goal in extra time. The match, however, was marred by controversy after Senegal’s players temporarily refused to continue play when Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty while the score was still level.

Following a delay of around 17 minutes, the match resumed, and Brahim Díaz saw his penalty saved before Senegal went on to secure victory.

CAF has now ruled that Senegal forfeited the match due to their conduct, awarding Morocco a 3-0 win under the competition’s regulations.

In a statement, CAF said Senegal had violated Article 82 of the Africa Cup of Nations rules, which states that a team that refuses to play or leaves the field without the referee’s permission is considered to have lost the match. Article 84 further stipulates that such a violation results in a 3-0 defeat.

The decision followed an appeal by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), which CAF confirmed was admissible and upheld.

Morocco’s federation said the appeal was not intended to challenge Senegal’s on-field performance but to ensure proper enforcement of tournament regulations.

The Senegalese Football Federation has strongly rejected the ruling, describing it as “unfair, unprecedented and unacceptable,” and confirmed it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Despite the official reversal, the decision has sparked debate across the football world. Senegal’s players had already celebrated their victory publicly, including a parade with the trophy, highlighting the emotional weight of the original result.

The planned Finalissima clash between Spain national football team and Argentina national football team in Qatar has been cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The match, which pits the champions of Europe against the winners of South America’s Copa América, had been scheduled for 26 March. European champions Spain were set to face Copa América holders Argentina in the intercontinental showpiece.

UEFA confirmed the cancellation, saying the fixture could not proceed in Qatar because of the current security situation in the region.

“Due to the current political situation in the region, the Finalissima cannot be played as hoped in Qatar,” UEFA said in a statement.

Football’s European governing body said it had explored alternative options, including staging the match at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid or playing a two-legged tie in Madrid and Buenos Aires. However, those proposals were rejected by the Argentine Football Association.

In a joint statement, the CONMEBOL and the Argentine FA said they had suggested an alternative date of 31 March after receiving a proposal to hold the match at a neutral venue in Italy on 27 March.

According to the statement, Argentina agreed to the Italian venue but requested the match be moved to 31 March instead.

“Unfortunately, UEFA announced that holding the match on the 31st – just four days later than the original proposal – was not possible, and the Finalissima was cancelled,” the statement said.

UEFA also revealed that Argentina later suggested staging the match after the next World Cup, but this option was ruled out because Spain had no available dates in their international calendar.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation said it had worked intensively to ensure the match could be played in any format, either in Spain or at a neutral venue.

“Spain was prepared to play as it has always been stated. They set no conditions,” the federation said, adding that it had explored all possible alternatives together with UEFA.

The cancellation comes amid wider disruptions to major sporting events in the region. Over the weekend, the Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix scheduled for April were also cancelled, with Formula One citing safety concerns linked to the ongoing conflict.

The Finalissima, organised jointly by UEFA and CONMEBOL, is staged every four years and features the champions of Europe and South America. The most recent edition took place at Wembley Stadium in London in 2022, where Argentina defeated Italy to lift the trophy.