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Joan Gaspart couldn't understand all of the fuss caused by Nico Williams' decision to turn down a move to Barcelona in favour of signing a lucrative new deal with Athletic Club. "The player has used us in a good way," the former Blaugrana president told EL 10 del Barca on August 3. "He's gotten a good contract, and I'm happy for him."

There was a lot to like about Arsenal's win over Leicester City on Sunday. Despite concluding last season by stunning Barcelona to win the Champions League, the Gunners have been nowhere near their best at the start of this new campaign, suffering four successive defeats in all competition for the first time since January 2022. Unconvincing but vital wins against Brighton and Benfica allowed them to fight back before the international break and their return to action at the weekend, in a 4-1 victory over the Foxes, was much-improved.

Chivas are in one of their best runs in recent memory. Since Gabriel Milito’s arrival as manager, the red-and-white side has rediscovered its identity, becoming one of the Apertura 2025’s most exciting teams. With six wins in their last seven matches, El Rebaño currently hold a direct Liguilla spot and will close the regular season with a high-stakes clash against Monterrey.

Thomas Frank has responded to Jamie Carragher's assessment of his Tottenham team, telling the ex-Liverpool defender that it's 'easier' to be a pundit and criticise managers for their shortcomings than to actually coach a team. Frank's Spurs lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday, tallying a club-record low of 0.05 expected goals in the process. Supporters booed the Dane's team throughout the game and at full-time.

Portland Hearts of Pine's jerseys went global, but their debut season on the pitch has proved they're far more than just a cool kit

Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele has picked up another injury and was forced off early in Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. The French winger, who was crowned the best male player in the world only weeks ago, lasted barely 25 minutes before limping off in visible distress, just moments after seeing what he thought was an equaliser ruled out by VAR.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven scored a truly astonishing goal during the team's Champions League win over Copenhagen on Tuesday night, immediately reminding fans of one that club legend Son Heung-min netted against Burnley six years ago. Son's effort went on to win the coveted FIFA Puskas Award, leading supporters to already wish the same fate for Van de Ven.

The New England Revolution intend to hire U.S. U20 manager Marko Mitrovic as their next coach, according to The Athletic. Mitrovic is fresh off a U20 World Cup run, as his team impressed in the group stage before falling short against eventual champion Morocco in the quarterfinals. He also coached the U23 squad at last year's Olympics in Paris.

Achraf Hakimi had to be helped off the pitch and looked to be in tears after being on the receiving end of a reckless challenge by Luis Diaz during Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich on Tuesday. The winger saw red for his challenge, while Hakimi is now facing an anxious wait to determine the severity of the injury. It's a huge blow for PSG and Hakimi, particularly with the Africa Cup of Nations now only weeks away.

Ricardo Pepi made his mark off the bench once again, scoring a stoppage-time equalizer for PSV against Olympiacos on Tuesday to earn them a crucial Champions League point. The goal was Pepi's third in four games in all competitions, despite playing a grand total of 75 minutes across those matches. PSV now have five points through UCL four games.

Arsenal’s Max Dowman, at just 15 years and 308 days old, stepped onto the European stage in the 72nd minute against Slavia Prague, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a Champions League match. The teenager shattered the record previously held by Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko, who was 16 years and 18 days when he made his debut in 2020.

Liverpool secured a statement 1-0 win over an in-form Real Madrid in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday, sealed by a single second-half goal from Alexis Mac Allister. On the night that Trent Alexander-Arnold returne to Anfield, receiving a decidedly mixed reception from those inside the famous stadium when he was brought on, the celebrations were all red.

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were beaten 2-1 by 10-man Bayern Munich in the Champions League at Parc des Princes on Tuesday. Luis Diaz scored both goals in an impressive first half but then saw red just before half-time for a reckless challenge on Achraf Hakimi. PSG hit back after the break, pulling one goal back through substitute Joao Neves, but Bayern managed to hang on for all three points.

Real Madrid's big guns went missing, and Los Blancos failed to conjure up any Champions League magic in Tuesday's 1-0 loss to Liverpool. Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, in particular, were kept curiously quiet as Madrid saw their perfect start to their European campaign end in fairly unremarkable circumstances against Arne Slot's struggling Reds.

Tottenham boosted their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League with a commanding 4-0 win at home to Copenhagen, despite playing much of the second half one man light. Goal-scorer Brennan Johnson was sent off with Spurs already two to the good, but Thomas Frank's side showed fantastic character to score twice more as they put in arguably their best performance of his tenure so far.

Liverpool fans were left fuming after the Reds were controversially denied a penalty for a handball against Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni following a VAR intervention. Midway through the first half of a pulsating Champions League encounter, the Frenchman appeared to block Dominik Szoboszlai’s fierce strike with his hand inside the box. The incident sparked immediate outrage in the stands, with Reds players surrounding referee Istvan Kovacs as the crowd roared for a spot-kick.

Chelsea have decided to intervene after centre-back Wesley Fofana pleaded guilty to driving offences last week, taking the time to speak to the player after he was convicted over a dangerous driving incident near the club’s Cobham training ground. The Blues will not generally police players over non-football matters, but the repeat nature of Fofana’s issues behind the wheel prompted action.

Folarin Balogun scored his first Champions League goal of the season, netting in the first half of Monaco's clash with Bodo/Glimt to put his club up 1-0 at the Aspmyra Stadion. The goal is Balogun's third since scoring for the U.S. men's national team against Ecuador in a 1-1 draw during the October international break.

Mic'd Up: Shreeves discussed soccer in America, Premier League favorites, and who might win the Champions League

Former Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold 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 at the end of last season and head to the Santiago Bernabeu enraged many fans who made their feelings known ahead of kick-off, but the player chose to see the funny side.

Jude Bellingham eclipsed Lionel Messi and his Real Madrid co-star Kylian Mbappe to make more Champions League history when taking on Liverpool on Tuesday evening. At just 22 years and 128 days old, the former Birmingham City prodigy smashed club legend Iker Casillas’s long-standing record as the youngest player in history to reach 50 appearances in Europe’s elite club competition. It is a staggering achievement for someone who has been commanding Real Madrid’s midfield like a veteran since his big-money move from Borussia Dortmund a few years back.

Erling Haaland reacted with humility after Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola compared his goalscoring feats in the early weeks this season to those of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Haaland took his tally for the campaign so far across all competitions to 17 in just 13 appearances, courtesy of a brace in his last outing against Bournemouth.

England boss Thomas Tuchel and his assistant Anthony Barry have opted to skip the chance to watch Jude Bellingham in action for Real Madrid against Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League in another blow to the 22-year-old just days before the latest England squad is announced. Bellingham was omitted from Tuchel's most recent squad and will have to wait and see if he's done enough to earn a recall.

Arsenal are facing an anxious wait to discover how much time summer signing Viktor Gyokeres will miss after suffering a muscle injury. The striker was ruled out of the Gunners' Champions League clash with Slavia Prague due to the problem and is set to undergo further tests to discover the severity of his injury. Gyokeres is also expected to sit out Saturday's Premier League clash with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Arsenal's 3-0 victory over Slavia Prague on Tuesday made it four wins from four in the Champions League for the high-flying Gunners so far in 2025-26. Bukayo Saka, captain for the night, got the ball rolling from the penalty spot, before Mikel Merino took over as the Spain international, playing in place of Viktor Gyokeres, scored twice in a clinical performance in the Czech capital.

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly 'open' to rebuilding his managerial career at Wolves after a brutal sacking by Bayer Leverkusen. The Dutchman lasted just a handful of games before being shown the door after Leverkusen had managed just one win (against a lower-league side in the DFB-Pokal), one draw, and one defeat to begin the season.

Chelsea are 'hopeful' that Cole Palmer will be fit again for the upcoming clashes against Barcelona and Arsenal, as Enzo Maresca delivered a positive injury update. The 23-year-old's creative spark has been sorely missed as he has been sidelined for over a month, but the head coach has hinted at a possible comeback date that will provide the club and its supporters a significant boost.

USL Championship side North Carolina FC announced Tuesday that they will not compete in the 2026 season. The club will release all players, after the playoffs, allowing them to sign elsewhere for 2026 and beyond. As part of the move, North Carolina said their focus will shift toward preparing an application for USL’s new Division One league, set to launch in 2028.

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed in a new interview with Piers Morgan that he doesn't expect to extend his history-making football career for that much longer, also admitting that his interests in retirement will ultimately lie outside the sport he has dedicated his life to. It comes after the Portuguese icon had been billed as "perfect" for a role upstairs at former club Manchester United.