If you’ve been wondering why you’re seeing a lot of free pizza lately – especially among any of your mates that happen to be runners – but just hadn’t bothered to actually ask, we’re here to explain the current Franco Manca pizza ‘run trend’.
And yes, we were the foolish ones enough to have not quizzed any of our jogging chums until now, meaning we’ve missed out on more money and free pizza. Sigh.
Nevermind, though, because at least we spotted it before the end of the month (this being Franco Manca’s main January deal), and we dare say that now you’ve heard about it, you’ll see plenty others popping up on social media with their free slices.
That’s right, it may be a very thin slice with a very long and thin slice, but that is as much of a pizza slice outline as we needed to qualify for the current deal.
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Yes, we’re aware that the actual pepperonis on ours are more square than most – listen, we did our best, and we’ve certainly seen people pulling off better overall shaped pizzas than us; that’s part of the fun/and or challenge.
For instance, we didn’t mean for our picture to come out with one long crust running down either…
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So, how does it work, you ask? Well, it’s quite simple, to be fair. All you have to do is run a pizza-shaped route (any pizza shape works, by the way), map your route on the likes of Strava or Apple Fitness, etc., then show your creation at your nearest and claim a quid off for every kilometre you run.
As advertised on the ‘Map My Pizza Run’ page on their website, the aim isn’t about putting pressure or hitting a strict target; you simply get rewarded the longer you go.
Here’s a handy example from a local running content creator for you:
In our case, we joined up with native run club, Manchester Road Runners, for one of their regular social ‘SLRs’ (Sunday Long Run), chalking off 19km, which meant £19 off your next pizza – i.e. FREE and then some, baby.
Not only did the local group give themselves the perfect motivation as part of their training for the 2026 Manchester Marathon, but we also found that the steadier, chatty pace was super helpful for getting through the whole thing.
There are some stipulations, such as not being used in conjunction with any other offer, one pizza map being valid per person, and the route has to have been run in January. You can find the full terms and conditions HERE.
Oh, and technically, you can do it however you like: run, walk, cycle – you name it. Other than that, we’ve pretty much given you all the info you need to know, so go and get yourself some free pizza.
Casemiro is leaving Manchester United at the end of the season
Danny Jones
Manchester United player Casemiro has confirmed that he will be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The veteran CDM and European footballing legend joined Man United back in 2022 for around £70 million from his former team, Real Madrid, where he won everything over the best part of a decade.
Now, Old Trafford fan favourite ‘Cas’ (full name, Carlos Henrique José Francisco Venâncio Casimiro) is set to leave United following the expiration of his current and highly lucrative deal this summer.
Announcing his pending departure in an emotional video, the seasoned Brazilian midfielder admitted that he feels the time is right to leave the club – but not before giving his “everything” in the remainder of the current campaign.
Writing in the caption of the social media post, Casemiro said: “Knowing when stages come to an end. Knowing when to say goodbye when you feel that you will be remembered and respected forever.
“Four months to give my all for this badge and for our goal. Eternal respect and affection for Manchester United and its wonderful fans. Forever Red Devil.”
Responding underneath the partnered post, the club simply wrote: “Once a Red, always a Red.”
Now 33 years old and already being accused of being ‘over the hill’ even when he first landed in Manchester, Casemiro had an impressive first season under Erik ten Hag and quickly became a crucial cog in the squad; arguably, overly relied upon, some would say.
On the other hand, given his age and the fast pace of English football, it’s fair to say he’s done well to keep up with the most competitive league on the planet.
He is also one of the well-paid talents in the Premier League, so while the majority of supporters will be gutted to see him go, the board will still be relieved to see his estimated £350,000-a-week wages taken off the books.
Nevertheless, he is now regularly subbed off around the hour mark for Man United, and it’s not exactly a surprise that he is now preparing to move on. INEOS and their recruitment already look to be searching for reinforcements in the middle of the park.
They are looking to bolster their options as they chase down Champions League qualification
Bringing a wealth of experience and leadership to ten Hag, Ruben Amorim, and now Michael Carrick‘s setup for what’s left of the 2025/26 term, he’s a big presence that will no doubt be missed in the dressing room and on the pitch.
Having scored 21 times in 146 games so far, he will finish the season with more than a century of appearances, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see him chip in with a few more goals before hanging up his red shirt.
Besides being a serial throughout pretty much the rest of his career, the midfield remains a key point of contention at United, and his departure will no doubt mean more talent will need to be brought in at least by the summer.
You can see more of his farewell announcement video down below.
💬 “I will always carry this club with me. I will always be a Manchester United fan.”
Manchester City are reimbursing fans who travelled to watch their defeat against Bodo/Glimt
Danny Jones
A bunch of Manchester City players are preparing to refund fans who travelled to watch the shock defeat against Bodo/Glimt earlier this week.
In case you missed the surprising score, Man City were on the end of a very unexpected result against the Eliteserien side, losing 3-1 in what was the club’s first-ever win in the Champions League.
More than that, it was also the first time a Norwegian team had won in the competition in nearly two decades, making it a historic night for the nation, albeit one to forget for the Blues.
Following the European upset, as a gesture of goodwill towards supporters, select members of the squad from Pep Guardiola’s so-called leadership group have now pledged to cover the trip made by the dedicated away fans, from the match ticket itself to travel costs.
JUST IN: Manchester City's players are reimbursing fans who watched their Champions League defeat against Bodo/Glimt.
They are covering the cost of match tickets for game which Pep Guardiola's side lost 3-1 🚨
The message from City stars is as follows: “Our supporters mean everything to us. We know the sacrifice that our fans make when they travel across the world to support us home and away, and we will never take it for granted.
“We also recognise that it was a lot of travelling for the fans who supported us in the freezing cold throughout a difficult evening for us on the pitch. Covering the cost of these tickets for the fans who travelled to Bodo is the least we can do.”
Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Scandinavian native Erling Haaland, who had a less-than-ideal return to his home country on Tuesday night, are said to be the individuals covering the fees
As per multiple reports, the figure is said to be just under £10k – approximately £9,357 spread across a total of 374 matchgoers, to be specific.
While the club and the players, specifically, have been praised by plenty for what many have labelled as a ‘classy move’, some are suggesting that the statement actually signals the opposite regarding their opponents, who shone on the night.
Scoring twice in quick succession midway through the first half before bagging the third and ultimately decisive goal in the 58th minute, it could have been four or five.
Bodo/Glimt had moments ruled offside and hit the woodwork in both halves.
Despite City pulling one back and showing promise of getting back in the game through Rayan Cherki, that momentum was quickly crushed when the aforementioned and only recently returning, Rodri, was sent off after a second yellow around the hour mark.
Following the arguably equally unexpected blow in the Manchester derby last weekend, it’s been a tough few days for the players and fans alike, but they still stand a chance of beating Arsenal to the Premier League title this season.
You can see the highlights from the Bodo/Glimt vs Man City game here.
Danny Jones -
19th January 2026 
