Champions League news

Erling Haaland scored for the 12th game running for club and country as Manchester City cruised to a 2-0 victory over Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday. Bernardo Silva also netted to rubber-stamp City's first away win in Europe's top competition for more than a year, taking Pep Guardiola's side on to seven points from their three games in the league phase.

Arsenal thumped Atletico Madrid 4-0 in a hugely impressive Champions League outing on Tuesday, as Gabriel Magalhaes scored and assisted while Viktor Gyokeres netted a confidence-boosting brace. Three of the Gunners' four goals came directly from set-pieces, as Mikel Arteta's side became the second English side to beat Atletico in Europe this season, after Liverpool.

Manchester United flop Marcus Rashford has been hailed as Barcelona's best player as he lit up the Champions League again and led the Catalan giants to a thumping 6-1 win over Olympiacos on Tuesday. Rashford, deployed as a No.9 in the absence of Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski, delivered with a brace as the Spanish champions returned to winning ways in Europe.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Maghnes Akliouche admitted he has been 'flattered' by the Premier League club's interest ahead of AS Monaco's Champions League showdown with Thomas Frank's side. After Spurs lost the transfer race to Arsenal for Eberechi Eze in the summer, they had eyed a move for Akliouche but the north London outfit eventually signed Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.

Marcus Rashford scored twice and Fermin Lopez netted a brilliant hat-trick as Barcelona thumped Olympiacos 6-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday. Hansi Flick's side blitzed their opposition with four goals in 11 second-half minutes, as they took advantage of a remarkably harsh sending off that reduced the visitors to 10 men.

Liverpool have been dealt a blow in their preparations for this week's Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, after the aircraft taking them to Germany was hit with a "technical issue", meaning that Arne Slot will not be able to conduct a press conference before the encounter in midweek. The Reds are aiming to break a streak of four successive defeats after their weekend loss to Manchester United at Anfield.

Napoli head coach Antonio Conte believes the team should treat their Champions League experience as a "school" and fully "absorb" the lessons it offers. He wants the club to carefully assess their position in the tournament, viewing this season's European campaign as a new journey. Conte has also called for patience, emphasising that the season will largely depend on how quickly the new players settle and integrate into the team.

Real Madrid have been dealt another injury setback ahead of El Clasico, with defender David Alaba ruled out after suffering a severe calf strain. The Austrian’s absence deepens Xabi Alonso’s defensive crisis, leaving Los Blancos with limited options at centre-back before a pivotal week that includes matches against Juventus and Barcelona.

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac has come to the defence of Jobe Bellingham after the 20-year-old faced criticism for his error in the 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich. The English midfielder, who joined from Sunderland in the summer, has struggled for consistency, but Kovac insists he remains “impressed” with his progress ahead of Dortmund’s Champions League clash with Copenhagen.

Former Juventus defender Danilo believes the club’s clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday could serve as the catalyst for the Bianconeri to turn their season around. Currently sitting seventh in the Serie A table and still winless in the Champions League, Juventus find themselves in a difficult spell. However, Danilo noted that there is a growing chemistry within the squad that hadn’t been seen before, and urged patience as the team continues to develop.

Jose Mourinho has brushed aside Newcastle job links and insisted that he "wouldn't trade Benfica for any other club in the world". It was Bobby Robson who once dreamed of bringing the young Portuguese to Newcastle as his assistant manager in 1999, with a plan to eventually hand him the reins. But fate charted a different course. Mourinho chose to launch his managerial career at Benfica in 2000, beginning a path that would lead him to Champions League glory with Porto and a glittering career across Europe’s biggest stages.

Real Madrid have escalated their opposition to La Liga’s Miami plan by filing a second complaint to the Higher Sports Council (CSD), aiming to stop the Villarreal vs Barcelona match from taking place in the United States. The club claims the overseas fixture breaches competition fairness, while the government and Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) navigate complex regulations before a final decision.

Barcelona erupted in frustration after Hansi Flick’s dramatic red card against Girona, with sporting director Deco accusing referees of treating the club more harshly than others. Flick, who made a controversial gesture while celebrating a last-minute winner, admitted he regretted his actions as Barca now prepare to appeal the decision.

Eintracht Frankfurt have earned a sterling reputation for developing players from the promising bracket to top-class and selling them on for significant profit in recent years, particularly in attacking positions. The German club made around €208 million (£181m/$242m) by transferring Luka Jovic, Sebastien Haller and Randal Kolo Muani to AC Milan, West Ham and Paris Saint-Germain, respectively, and boosted that total by another €170m (£148/$198) last season when two more talismanic performers caught the eye of Europe's elite.

Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique has brutally told star forward Ousmane Dembele his Ballon d'Or award "means nothing" as he bids to add more trophies to his collection in the 2025-26 season. Dembele is set to return from injury and play for the first time since he won the prestigious Golden Ball, but Luis Enrique says that's now in the past and it's time to look ahead.

Lothar Matthaus has hailed Harry Kane as the best striker in world football, claiming neither Erling Haaland nor Kylian Mbappe can match his all-round game. The Bayern Munich legend’s glowing remarks came after Kane’s match-winning performance against Borussia Dortmund, a display that showcased leadership, versatility and defensive work rarely seen in forwards.

Bayern Munich fans have erupted in protest after learning that former defender Jerome Boateng was invited to observe training sessions under Vincent Kompany. The 37-year-old, who is beginning his coaching journey, remains a polarising figure due to past domestic violence cases. Despite outrage from supporters, Bayern officials and Kompany insist the move is being blown out of proportion.