Manchester United defender Harry Maguire’s decision to go public with his “shock and disappointment” on social media after being informed of his non-selection on Thursday drew criticism from some fans and pundits, who suggested the experienced defender should have waited for the official announcement before speaking out.

But other players, who did not publicly comment while still passing on news about their own situations, would have been fully aware the information would leak.

Tuchel’s predecessor Gareth Southgate was praised throughout his tenure for generating an atmosphere of unity in his squad and restoring the positive relationship between the players and the public.

The first three players whose absence from the squad began to be leaked to journalists – Maguire, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer – were all previously favourites of Southgate’s.

So does the fact that some players went rogue undermine Tuchel’s authority or suggest some kind of disunity?

The German expressed evident displeasure with Maguire’s reaction.

“It was not necessary to make it public,” Tuchel told BBC sports editor Dan Roan.

“I [already] knew about his reaction, about his feelings about it. It didn’t help, but I understand the disappointment and respect him a lot as a player.

“[Leaks] are just the nature of these times. We called the majority of the players yesterday [Thursday]. Players are disappointed and they talk of course and then too many people know, too many people want to know.

“We would have even liked to inform them earlier but we paid a lot of respect to the FA Cup final and Aston Villa in the Europa League final.”

Asked if Maguire had effectively proved Tuchel right, the German wryly smiled and said “I didn’t say that”.

In his news conference, Tuchel insisted the experienced players he has selected in the squad help him run a tight ship.

“We have a decent leadership group,” he added, while refusing to name the players he considers part of it.

“They created a culture, set the tone and took care of the standards.”

Throughout his interview with BBC Sport afterwards, Tuchel repeatedly referenced leadership, unity and selflessness.

“It is also about how to handle disappointment,” he added.

“There will be disappointment throughout the tournament, so how can players react to that, how can they overcome their ego, their pride, and still maybe push their team-mates?

“I don’t want to take a gamble on it and find out in a tournament that someone struggles with that.”

Perhaps, then, the leaks and reaction from disappointed absentees have only reaffirmed Tuchel’s belief that he has made the right decisions.

Fulham boss Marco Silva has promised he will make make a decision on his future next week.

The 48-year-old Portuguese’s contract at Craven Cottage expires at the end of June and the club are keen to keep him, offering a new three-year deal.

Silva, who was appointed in 2021, was linked with the Chelsea job before former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso was appointed.

Benfica have also been mentioned as possible suitors for Silva as they eye a replacement for Real Madrid-bound Jose Mourinho.

Fulham‘s final Premier League match of the season is against Newcastle on Sunday.

Speaking at his pre-match news conference on Friday, Silva said he did not see the uncertainty surrounding him “as an issue”.

“I understand why you call it as an issue, I see it as a situation that we are at the end of a contract, we have been talking to the football club and the football club is talking with us,” he said.

“And I’m going to take a decision, as are the football club, next week.

“I just have one offer on the table for me to think about. I understand my agent is speaking with the club, but I have an offer from a long, long time that we are talking about and that is Fulham Football Club.”

Silva took charge of Fulham when they were in the Championship five years ago and steered the club to promotion in his first season.

Since then he has established them in the Premier League, guiding the Cottagers to 10th, 13th and 11th placed finishes.

They currently sit 13th with the match at home to Newcastle left, but Fulham have failed to win in their past three games, seriously denting their chances of qualifying for Europe next season.

Real Madrid defender David Alaba will leave the club upon the expiration of his contract in the summer.

The 33-year-old will end his five-year tenure at the Bernabeu, where he has won nine trophies including two La Liga titles and the Champions League in 2021-22 and 2023-24.

The Athletic reported in December that Alaba was expected to leave the club, a year after Madrid moved to bring in a left-back and a centre-back — Alaba’s primary two positions — in Alvaro Carreras from Benfica for €50million (£43.3m; $57.9m) and Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth for £50m last summer.

The Austria captain has made 15 appearances this season, and just three starts in La Liga, having yet again sustained an injury-hit season with two separate spells out. Antonio Rudiger, Huijsen, Eder Militao and Raul Asencio are among the centre-backs favoured ahead of him.

News of Alaba’s departure comes after Madrid also announced that captain Dani Carvajal will leave the club as a free agent when his deal expires this summer.

“David Alaba has earned the affection of all Madrid fans for his dedication, his hard work, and for an iconic image on our path to the 14 European Cup, which symbolised the celebration of a victory and is now part of our club’s history,” Madrid club president Florentino Perez said upon confirmation of the news.

“Real Madrid will always be his home.”

Alaba only played 14 times for Madrid last season after returning from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his left knee in January 2025, having been out for over a year.

The 33-year-old then suffered a meniscus injury in the same knee in April and missed Madrid’s final five La Liga games of 2024-25, as well as all six matches at the Club World Cup in the United States.

Alaba joined Madrid as a free agent from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2021. Injuries have been a common theme throughout his time in Spain and only managed 30 league games in one season, his first. He has made 129 Madrid appearances, and won La Liga and the Champions League twice each during his five-year stay.

However, each of his final two seasons in the Spanish capital have finish trophyless.