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Champions League: Barca lose to Monaco as Arsenal draw with Atalanta
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Champions League

Champions League: Barca lose to Monaco as Arsenal draw with Atalanta

On matchday 1 of the Champions League Barcelona dropped points, Manchester City and Arsenal failed to win and there were some banner results already. Bayern Munich scored nine goals. French club Monaco upset 10-man Barcelona by grinding out a 2-1 victory on Thursday in the Champions League, while a stunning David Raya double-save ensured Arsenal a goalless draw away to Europa League winners Atalanta. Barca have started the season with a perfect record after five La Liga matches but, hindered by a red card in the 11th minute for Eric Garcia, fell to defeat on the French Riviera. Maghnes Akliouche fired the French side into the lead five minutes after Garcia was dismissed for a last-man challenge on Takumi Minamino. Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal equalised in the 28th minute with an arrowed ...
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Barcelona among Europe’s biggest clubs in pursuit of latest Salzburg revelation
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LALIGA

Barcelona among Europe’s biggest clubs in pursuit of latest Salzburg revelation

The aim for FC Barcelona moving forward remains to improve their squad in a cost-efficient way. Years of misspending and mismanagement have put them in enough trouble as it is, but the club can only work on avoiding any future mishaps. To do that, however, Barcelona has a plan to mainly pursue certain types of players. One of those types is young players who are seen as market opportunities but are also great sporting prospects. That is the way that the club managed to secure the signings of the likes of Pedri, Ronald Araujo, and other talents in the first place over the last few years. Now, moreover, they continue that trend by following promising youngsters across Europe and even across other continents. From the attack all the way to the back-line, there are no restrictions on what ...
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Dortmund boss Sahin endorses Nigerian midfield dynamo after UCL win over Club Brugge
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BUNDESLIGA

Dortmund boss Sahin endorses Nigerian midfield dynamo after UCL win over Club Brugge

Borussia Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin has admitted the brilliance of Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika in the UEFA Champions League clash against Club Brugge on Wednesday. Onyedika returned to Champions League action with Club Brugge when they welcomed former German champions Borussia Dortmund to the Jan Breydel Stadium. BRUGGE, BELGIUM - SEPTEMBER 18: Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge during the UEFA Champions League match between Club Brugge v Borussia Dortmund at the Jan Breydel Stadium on September 18, 2024 in Brugge Belgium (Photo by Geert van Erven/Soccrates/Getty Images) The first half was quite balanced, with both clubs creating opportunities from the blast of the whistle. However, it ended goalless. The second half was also balanced until the 76th minute when Jamie ...
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Stefano Piolo heads to Saudi to take over misfiring Al Nassr
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SERIE A

Stefano Piolo heads to Saudi to take over misfiring Al Nassr

Stefano Pioli will be Cristiano Ronaldo’s new boss after the Italian was named as Saudi club Al Nassr’s head coach Wednesday, replacing Luis Castro who parted ways with the club after a slow start to the season. MILAN, ITALY - MAY 25: Head coach of AC Milan Stefano Pioli greets the fans for his last match with AC Milan at the end of the Serie A TIM match between AC Milan and US Salernitana at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 25, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images) The 58-year-old Pioli, in his first job outside of his homeland, started his managerial career in 1999 and was AC Milan’s boss from October 2019 to May 2024, overseeing the club’s Serie A title-winning campaign in 2022. Prior to his nearly five-year stint at the Rossoneri, Pioli coach...
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Martin Zubimendi makes Real Sociedad ‘large salary’ decision and sends this message to Liverpool
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LALIGA

Martin Zubimendi makes Real Sociedad ‘large salary’ decision and sends this message to Liverpool

Martin Zubimendi was a target for Liverpool in the summer transfer window. Martin Zubimendi has reportedly asked Liverpool to revive interest in him when the January transfer window opens. The midfielder was the Reds’ chief target in the summer as Arne Slot wanted to bolster his midfielder options. Liverpool were prepared to meet Zubimendi’s release clause of £52 million in his Real Sociedad contract - but he decided to stay at his boyhood club. Zubimendi was expected to sign a new deal in San Sebastian. Yet Estadio Deportivo reports that the Spain international - who helped his country to Euro 2024 glory - has ‘opted to reject a large salary’ It is reported that Liverpool will have to decide whether to again make a move for Zubimendi, although he ‘intends to land in ...
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‘I am impressed’… Barcelona coach praises La Masia and the club’s youngsters
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LALIGA

‘I am impressed’… Barcelona coach praises La Masia and the club’s youngsters

FC Barcelona has been quite reliant on the qualities of their youngsters to pull them through in recent years. While it is also true that the same can be said for the club’s golden period, it is now more about survival than thriving at times. Yet, with Hansi Flick’s arrival, Barcelona can dare to dream about reclaiming their place again. Players like Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez, and many others have already given the club enough evidence to feel hopeful about. As the days and matches go by, that hope only continues to grow and the club aims higher and higher. Even now, ahead of the clash between Barcelona and Monaco in the UEFA Champions League, German coach Hansi Flick has decided to include two young 16-year-old cousins in his squad list for the upc...
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Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard faces lengthy injury absence
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard faces lengthy injury absence

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will be out "for a while" with an ankle injury he suffered on international duty with Norway, manager Mikel Arteta said on Wednesday. Odegaard twisted his ankle in Norway's Nations League match against Austria earlier this month. His national team doctor had suggested he would be sidelined for a "minimum of three weeks". "After everything was scanned, they showed that there was some damage, especially in one of the ligaments in the ankle so we're going to miss him," Arteta told reporters ahead of Arsenal's Champions League opener against Atalanta on Thursday. "I don't want to (put a timeframe on it) because I am not a doctor but it is something quite significant so we're going to lose him for a while -- hopefully not months, but let's see." Arsenal, ...
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Man City blunted by ‘giant performance’ Inter in Champions League stalemate
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Champions League

Man City blunted by ‘giant performance’ Inter in Champions League stalemate

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi praised his team's "giant performance" after holding Manchester City to a 0-0 draw in their Champions League opener. The expanded tournament format, designed to pit Europe’s top clubs against each other more frequently, saw both sides start their campaigns with a hard-fought stalemate. Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi said the Italian champions produced a "giant performance" to leave Manchester City frustrated in a 0-0 draw to begin their Champions League campaign on Wednesday. One of the selling points of the new expanded Champions League format was to bring together the continent's elite teams more often before the knockout stage. A repeat of the 2023 final, won 1-0 by City, did little to set the pulses racing, but Inter will feel they should have inflict...
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Erik ten Hag hails ‘ruthless’ Marcus Rashford as Manchester United ease to biggest win in Carabao Cup
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Erik ten Hag hails ‘ruthless’ Marcus Rashford as Manchester United ease to biggest win in Carabao Cup

Erik ten Hag was full of praise for Marcus Rashford after his two goals helped Manchester United to cruise past Barnsley and into the Carabao Cup fourth round. Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen all scored twice with Antony also netting a penalty in a resounding 7-0 win over League One opposition at Old Trafford on Tuesday night. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United celebrates with Marcus Rashford after scoring the fourth United goal during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Manchester United and Barnsley at Old Trafford on September 17, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) And Ten Hag was pleased with Rashford after his performance leading the line for ruthless United as he made it three g...
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Bellingham ‘not surprised at all’ after Mbappe strikes in opening Real win
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Champions League

Bellingham ‘not surprised at all’ after Mbappe strikes in opening Real win

Jude Bellingham discussed Kylian Mbappe's immediate impact in the Real Madrid side, as Los Blancos started their defence of the Champions League trophy with a 3-1 win over Stuttgart. MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 17: Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid CF and VfB Stuttgart at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 17, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) Endrick and Antonio Rudiger were also on target for the hosts, while the Bundesliga side found the net through Deniz Undav. Bellingham was making his first appearance for Carlo Ancelotti's side since August 18. Jude Bellingham hailed another standout moment in Kylian Mbappe’s career after the ...
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Liverpool kick off UEFA Champions League with 3-1 win over AC Milan
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Champions League

Liverpool kick off UEFA Champions League with 3-1 win over AC Milan

Liverpool celebrated their return to the UEFA Champions League after a one-season absence with a 3-1 victory over AC Milan at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday, overcoming a shaky start with goals from Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai. MILAN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 17: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool FC embraces Tammy Abraham of AC Milan at the end of the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between AC Milan and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Siro on September 17, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) The Reds got off to an awful first few minutes in the battle between the two European heavyweights, as Christian Pulisic fired the Rossoneri in front at home following a quick counterattack in the third minute, aided by L...
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Liverpool boss Arne Slot accused of ‘making mistake Jurgen Klopp would never have made’
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool boss Arne Slot accused of ‘making mistake Jurgen Klopp would never have made’

Richard Keys believes Arne Slot underestimated Nottingham Forest at the weekend - something former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would never have done. The Dutchman, who succeed Klopp in the summer, tasted defeat for the first time since taking the top job at Anfield as the Reds fell to a shock a 1-0 loss against Nuno Espirito Santo's side. Liverpool named the same XI that beat Manchester United 3-0 prior to the international break, though they had been on international duty beforehand. And Keys reckons that was a sign of naivety from Slot, whose predecessor would have known better. Writing for his blog, Keys said: “It’s been suggested Slot got it wrong because he picked 11 starters who’d been on international duty. If it was an error I don’t think Klopp would’ve made it. H...
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Jorginho: Arsenal unfazed by Haaland’s form
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Jorginho: Arsenal unfazed by Haaland’s form

Arsenal players are unfazed by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland's goal-scoring rampage, midfielder Jorginho said vouching for the north London side's confidence ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with City. City have had a perfect campaign in the league so far, while Arsenal secured three wins and a draw. Fresh off nine goals in four league games, including two hat tricks, Haaland has scored 99 goals from 103 appearances for City across all competitions. The Norway striker will aim for his century in Wednesday's Champions League clash against Inter Milan, while Arsenal begin their European campaign at Atalanta on Thursday and prepare to meet City at the Etihad on the Sunday. "Erling scoring again ... it is starting to make us laugh," the 32-year-old Italian said. "We look because...
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Leon Goretzka could leave Bayern Munich this winter
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BUNDESLIGA

Leon Goretzka could leave Bayern Munich this winter

Leon Goretzka’s prospects at Bayern Munich for this season are not looking too good at all. From the club’s first four competitive matches of the season, the German midfielder has only recorded a total of one minute of action, when he came on as a late substitute in the 2-0 win over SC Freiburg at the Allianz Arena in the Bundesliga. He was not in the squad for the most recent 6-1 win at Holstein Kiel, nor was he in the squad for the 4-0 win over SSV Ulm in the first round of the DFB-Pokal last month. Goretzka was heavily linked with a move away from Bayern during the summer transfer window, but nothing wound up materializing despite Max Eberl making it clear to the player he really is not in Vincent Kompany’s primary plans for this season. Both SSC Napoli and Atletico Madrid has loosel...
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Ansu Fati continues to impress Hansi Flick
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LALIGA

Ansu Fati continues to impress Hansi Flick

As Barcelona prepare to face Monaco on Thursday in the Champions League, the Blaugrana are taking stock of their current performances in LaLiga and have to love what they are seeing. Although Xavi did indeed do a strong job of setting the foundation for Barcelona, Hansi Flick has, as anticipated, taken the club to new heights from a tactical perspective and has done a significantly better job of working with the attacking players, especially young standouts. This past summer, there was concern that Ansu Fati could leave the club permanently after failing to get on the pitch long enough at Brighton, failing to answer the concerns that led to him temporarily leaving Barcelona in the first place. But instead of giving up on Fati, Flick is backing the 21-year-old, who was once, like Lamine Yam...
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Newcastle United midfielder ruled out until October following surgery
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Newcastle United midfielder ruled out until October following surgery

Newcastle United midfielder Jamie Miley, currently on loan at Newport County, has been ruled out until October. The 20-year-old joined the League Two side during the final week of the summer transfer window and made his debut in a 2-1 defeat against Cheltenham Town in EFL Trophy. He limped off 20 minutes before full-time, however, and missed the 4-1 loss versus Port Vale a few days later. Newport boss Nelson Jardim hoped the injury was “nothing” but has since confirmed Miley will be sidelined until next month after having surgery on a hernia. Miley uploaded a photo to Instagram from a hospital bed on Thursday night captioned “surgery done, back on the mend”, although the exact nature of his injury wasn’t known until Jardim’s update on Saturday. With younger brother Lewis sidelined because...
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How Manchester United should line up in Carabao Cup fixture vs Barnsley
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PREMIER LEAGUE

How Manchester United should line up in Carabao Cup fixture vs Barnsley

Manchester United will kick off their Carabao Cup campaign when they welcome Barnsley to Old Trafford in the third round of the competition on Tuesday night. Following back-to-back defeats, United got back to winning ways on Saturday, beating Southampton 3-0 at St Mary's. Matthijs de Ligt, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho all scored to secure United their first win since the opening weekend of the season. For the first time this season, attention now temporarily switches to one of the two domestic cup competitions. United were knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the fourth round stage last season and will be determined to go much deeper into the competition this time around. Regarding the team news, Erik ten Hag did not report any fresh injury concerns at his pre-match press conferen...
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Liverpool transfer news as $56m-rated winger Karim Adeyemi becomes a target
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TRANSFERS

Liverpool transfer news as $56m-rated winger Karim Adeyemi becomes a target

Liverpool is among three Premier League clubs that are monitoring Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi ahead of a possible swoop next summer. Unfortunately for Liverpool fans who want to see the club sign Adeyemi, the report comes from notoriously dubious Spanish transfer website Fichajes. Adeyemi, 22, has emerged as a key player for Dortmund in recent times, and it's claimed that Liverpool, as well as Manchester United and Newcastle United, is interested in signing him. Adeyemi was valued at €50 million ($56 million) last summer, with Juventus said to be interested in him but unwilling to meet Dortmund's demands for the youngster. Meanwhile, Inter Milan is being linked with a surprise move for Jarell Quansah. The defender broke into the Liverpool team last season but has not figured f...
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Official: Real Madrid squad list to face VfB Stuttgart
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Champions League

Official: Real Madrid squad list to face VfB Stuttgart

Real Madrid are all set to kickstart the defence of their UEFA Champions League crown tomorrow at the Santiago Bernabeu when they take VfB Stuttgart in their first fixture of the newly-introduced ‘League phase’. Ahead of Tuesday night’s contest in the Spanish capital, manager Carlo Ancelotti has announced the list of players who will be available at his disposal. The big news is that key midfield duo Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham are back in the squad after spending some time on the sidelines due to injury. It is likely that both are put into the starting XI right away by the manager. Meanwhile, Eder Militao also makes the squad list despite reports suggesting that the Brazilian would miss tomorrow’s game after he missed training today. Tomorrow’s game will see Kylian Mbappe mak...
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Brentford handed huge injury blow ahead of Spurs and West Ham with ‘real threat’ bagsman to miss out
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Brentford handed huge injury blow ahead of Spurs and West Ham with ‘real threat’ bagsman to miss out

Brentford are set to be without talisman Yoane Wissa for upcoming Premier League fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and beyond after the 28-year-old picked up a serious injury against Manchester City over the weekend. The Bees' star opened the scoring at the Etihad Stadium after just 22 seconds but the London outfit eventually fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Champions with the prolific Erling Haaland bagging a brace. Wissa already has three Premier League goals to his name this season and has impressed in filling the boots of Ivan Toney. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Yoane Wissa of Brentford in action during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Brentford FC at Etihad Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Stu F...
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