Lamine Yamal is ignoring his latest comparisons to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, with the teenage wonderkid pointing out that the Argentine GOAT has “scored 1000s of goals” that are similar to the strike he recorded against Club Brugge. Yamal delivered another moment of magic in that Champions League contest, but is reluctant to liken himself to an all-time great.
Romeo Lavia’s luckless spell at Chelsea took another cruel twist as the midfielder limped off just eight minutes into their 2-2 Champions League draw with Qarabag. Manager Enzo Maresca admitted he and the club “feel very ashamed” over the Belgian’s relentless injury troubles, which have restricted him to only 30 appearances since his £58 million move from Southampton in 2023.
Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho was empathetic while speaking about his decision to take off young left-back Samuel Dahl just minutes after his costly error gifted Bayer Leverkusen a goal during their Champions League encounter on Wednesday. Mourinho leapt to the defender's defence, arguing that conceding the goal was the team's mistake and not Dahl's.
Ajax are considering a sensational reunion with Erik ten Hag, with director Alex Kroes holding fresh talks to bring the former coach back amid mounting pressure on John Heitinga. The Dutch giants’ struggles under the ex-Liverpool assistant have prompted calls from fans and insiders for change as the club seek stability after another bruising European night.
Legendary former AC Milan and Netherlands footballer Marco van Basten blasted the officials for disallowing Club Brugge's goal, which would have potentially won them the game against Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Dutch icon erupted in anger after the game, claiming that the Belgian heavyweights "were robbed" and insisting that VAR made an incorrect decision.
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has hit back at misleading reports regarding his physical condition and mental state, claiming that a lot of what has been written and discussed is “all lies”. The 18-year-old looked fine when scoring a stunning goal in a thrilling Champions League draw with Club Brugge, but was subjected to jeers throughout that contest.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu believes his side could have played better during the 2-1 win over Champions League debutants Kairat Almaty, but had words of encouragement for his captain Lautaro Martinez, who scored his seventh goal of the season across all competitions. The Argentine has been urged by Chivu to play with a smile on his face and rediscover his passion for the game.
Hansi Flick refused to abandon Barcelona’s attacking principles despite a chaotic 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League. The German coach insisted his side’s issues stem from lapses in intensity and not tactics after the Catalans came from behind three times to salvage a point on another frustrating European night.
Phil Foden has admitted he is feeling happy again amid his resurgence in form following a difficult last season with Manchester City. Foden scored two spectacular goals as City thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday night at the Etihad and he highlighted the team's improved attitude and team spirit compared to one year ago.
Chelsea's players were criticised by Qarabag manager Gurban Gurbanov for being "inattentive" in their 2-2 draw in the Champions League on Wednesday. What was expected to be a routine night for the Premier League giants quickly descended into chaos as the travelling Blues clung on to secure only one point on their travels to Azerbaijan.
A Champions League record long held by Manchester United legend David Beckham has been taken by Club Brugge star Carlos Forbs following his sparkling goalscoring display against Barcelona. The 21-year-old scored twice and bagged an assist as the Belgian side held the Spanish giants to a 3-3 draw in a thrilling encounter. And he notched a bit of history along the way, too.
Enzo Maresca tore into his Chelsea players following Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Qarabag. The Blues were expected to ease to victory in Azerbaijan in their early Champions League clash but were forced to share the spoils despite dominating for large periods. And the Italian pulled no punches as he criticised his side at both ends of the pitch following the midweek stalemate.
Phil Foden picked up his wand and produced more magic in the Champions League to inspire Manchester City to a 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund. Foden broke the deadlock with a brilliant finish before Erling Haaland struck against his former club. Foden scored a delightful second goal after the break to give City a three-goal cushion, but Pep Guardiola's side then lived dangerously.
Club Brugge and Barcelona played out a six-goal thriller on Wednesday night as the spoils were shared in an entertaining 3-3 draw. The Belgian side responded to back-to-back Champions League defeats with a solid point. Barcelona, meanwhile, came from behind three times to secure what could prove a precious result in their bid to book their place in the last 16 of the competition.
Stunning headers from Joelinton and Dan Burn in particular secured Newcastle a comfortable 2-0 win over Athletic Club in the Champions League. Goals in either half from their experienced campaigners helped the Magpies climb to sixth in the league phase table, with Eddie Howe's men now inching closer to the knockout stages after a third straight European victory.
Erling Haaland set a new Champions League record with a goal against former side Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night. Haaland added to an extensive fine haul in Manchester City's welcome of the German giants as he netted his fifth Champions League goal of the season on the half-hour mark. And the first-half strike saw the Norwegian goal machine make history.
Alejandro Garnacho broke new ground for English clubs in the Champions League with his goal for Chelsea against Qarabag. The Argentina international came off the bench when his side were 2-1 down but grabbed a crucial equaliser soon after his introduction. And in doing so, the former Manchester United star created a little bit of history for himself.
Chelsea's trip to Qarabag for their midweek Champions League tie was marred by a racist incident. The abuse took place during the Youth League meeting between the two sides on Wednesday as the young Blues eased to a 5-0 win. Eyewitnesses have claimed that they saw and heard monkey gestures as Chelsea opened the scoring in the 57th minute and celebrated in close proximity to a section of fans.
Harry Kane has opened up on family life and revealed the battles with his daughter Vivienne over his phone. Kane moved to Bayern Munich in 2023 and lived in a hotel for the first six months of his time in Germany as he initially struggled being away from his family. However, they have since settled in the country with the striker tearing up the Bundesliga.
Super-sub Alejandro Garnacho saved Chelsea's blushes against Champions League surprise package Qarabag while Estevao enhanced his burgeoning reputation in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Wednesday. However, young defender Jorrel Hato had a night to forget in Azerbaijan as his calamitous display almost proved the undoing of Enzo Maresca's side, who survived a real scare.
Bayern Munich’s 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain was overshadowed by drama as Luis Diaz was sent off for a reckless tackle that left Achraf Hakimi injured. While coach Vincent Kompany and others showed concern, defender Josip Stanisic later joked about the red card, claiming they 'thanked' the Colombian winger for the tackle.
Bayern Munich's dominance caught Paris Saint-Germain by surprise, winger Bradley Barcola admitted after his side suffered a 2-1 defeat at home against the German giants on Tuesday. A Luis Diaz double in the first-half put Bayern fully in control of the Champions League tie before the Colombian was sent off. A late goal from Joao Neves pulled one back as PSG pushed for an equaliser, but Barcola says the damage had already been done by their tame start.
Vincent Kompany admitted he “would have loved to have played” in the second-half as Bayern Munich battled to a 2-1 Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain. The Bavarians extended their winning streak to 16 matches despite Luis Diaz’s red card, with the Belgian praising his side’s defensive resilience in one of their toughest tests of the season.
Jude Bellingham has issued a thoughtful response to Liverpool fans booing Trent Alexander-Arnold. The former Reds star was back at Anfield on Tuesday with Real Madrid in the Champions League and received a hostile reception from home supporters on Merseyside. The full-back's decision to leave his boyhood club this summer and head to the Santiago Bernabeu enraged many fans, who made their feelings known.
Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso was not too critical of his team's display during the narrow defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday. Alonso says he set up his team to win the midfield battle against Arne Slot's men as he made tactical adjustments in the second half, but lamented their inability to create clear chances at Anfield.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has praised Robert Lewandowski’s professionalism and influence amid reports the club are not planning to offer him a new contract. The German coach believes the veteran striker’s return is key for Barca to find their rhythm again. The Polish forward made his comeback in the 3-1 win over Elche this week, giving the team a boost amid a growing injury crisis.
Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven has finally opened up on the moment he snubbed head coach Thomas Frank after the club's 1-0 loss to Chelsea last weekend. The Dutchman, who captained the side on the night, was part of a Spurs team that registered their lowest-ever expected goals tally in a Premier League match. Clearly frustrated, the defender blanked his manager and headed straight down the tunnel at full-time, to a chorus of boos in north London.
Former Real Madrid attacker and club legend Gareth Bale was "disappointed" by the displays of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior as Los Blancos fell to a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League. Bale claimed that he was frustrated because the Madrid forwards tried to "overcomplicate things" in a rather timid display at Anfield on Tuesday evening.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot seemed to aim a subtle dig at Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney on air during the post-match coverage of the Reds' win over Real Madrid in the Champions League. As part of Amazon Prime's post-match discussions, Slot was quizzed on Liverpool's recent struggles. The Dutchman gave a hilarious response and could not resist a sideways look at Rooney in the process.
Marseille’s Champions League hopes have been hit hard by injuries, and Roberto De Zerbi made no effort to hide his frustration ahead of Wednesday’s clash against Atalanta. The Italian manager admitted that his squad is stretched to its limits, with several key players sidelined and little time to recover between games.
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