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Club Friendlies

Club Friendlies news

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Jackson left out of Chelsea friendly amid exit links

Nicolas Jackson has been left out from Chelsea's squad for their pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge, fuelling speculation over his future. The 24-year-old trained alone earlier on Friday, with Newcastle and Bayern Munich keen on a summer move. The striker has also now reportedly asked officially to leave the west London side.

Estêvão, Chelsea 2025

📽️ | Estevao kisses Chelsea badge after first Blues goal

Estevao Willian marked his Stamford Bridge debut in style, netting his first goal for Chelsea during their pre-season clash with Bayer Leverkusen. The 17-year-old Brazilian winger, signed with huge excitement earlier this summer, calmly finished a rebound before kissing the badge in front of a delighted home crowd.

Jota tribute

📽️ | Dybala & Ranieri lay flowers at Anfield in tribute to Jota

The football community continues to mourn the loss of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, with AS Roma's Paulo Dybala, accompanied by veteran manager Claudio Ranieri and sporting director Frederic Massara, arrived at Anfield to lay a bouquet of flowers at the growing memorial dedicated to Jota. The Portuguese international and his younger brother, André Silva, tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain in early July.

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Newcastle United FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League

ANOTHER Newcastle blow as Gordon suffers injury scare

Newcastle United have been dealt a major injury blow as Anthony Gordon picked up an injury during a pre-season friendly against Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Gordon, who started as a No.9 in the absence of a main striker, limped off the field with a knock, leaving the fans sweating, although manager Eddie Howe later provided a positive update on the player's condition.

Arsenal v Athletic Club: Emirates Cup

Arteta claims Gyokeres will 'destroy' defences

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta heaped praise on new signing Viktor Gyokeres, who scored his first goal for the Gunners since his move to North London from Sporting CP this summer. The Premier League giants thrashed La Liga side Athletic Club 3-0 in their final pre-season friendly courtesy of goals from Gyokeres, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz.

FC Barcelona v Como1907 - Joan Gamper Trophy

Rashford’s open goal nightmare for Barca leaves Raphinha stunned

Marcus Rashford left Raphinha stunned as he missed the chance tap into an open goal during a friendly against Como. The 27-year-old forward, who arrived at the Nou Camp on loan from Manchester United this summer with an option for a permanent deal, was handed a golden chance to pad the scoreline. Instead, he somehow contrived to miss an empty net in front of a stunned crowd.

Nicki Nicole Lamine Yamal Barcelona

Nicki Nicole spotted wearing Yamal's Barcelona shirt

Argentine musician Nicki Nicole caused a stir as she turned up for Barcelona’s Joan Gamper Trophy clash with Como wearing Lamine Yamal’s No.10 shirt. The global celebrity, who has been romantically linked to the teenage wonderkid, was joined by friends also donning the winger’s name – fuelling further talk about their relationship.

Frequently asked questions

Al-Hilal are the most successful Saudi Pro League side ever, having won an astonishing 19 league titles. Their first-ever league title came at the end of the 1976-77 campaign. Currently, they are also the defending champions, having gone all the way in the 2023-24 season.

Currently, there are 18 teams in the Saudi Pro League. In the first season ever, which took place in 1976-77, there were just eight teams. The number increased to 10 in the following season. Ahead of the 1981-82, Saudi Premier League and Saudi First Division merged to form one single league for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process. However, from the 1984-85 season, the number teams reverted to 12.

Legendary Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Deayea holds the record for most appearances in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Deayea played for Al-Taee and Al-Hilal and managed 406 appearances inthe league.

Majed Abdullah, also known as the Arabian Pele, is the league's all-time leading topscorer with 189 goals in 194 league games, all of them coming with Al-Nassr in a 21-year span. He is Al-Nassr's record goalscorer, with 259 goals in just 266 games.

Former Syrian midfielder Jehad Al-Hussain has registered the most assists in Saudi Pro League history, setting up 50 goals for his teammates in 208 games.

Former Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary is the oldest player to ever feature in Saudi Pro League. El Hadary was 45 years and 81 days old when he featured for Al-Taawoun in April 2018.

Teenage sensation Talal Haji, who plays for Al-Ittihad, is the youngest player to ever play in Saudi Pro League. Haji achieved this feat at the age of 16 years and five days when he came on as a substitute for Romarinho in Al-Ittihad's 2-1 win over Al-Fateh in September 2023.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema, Roberto Firmino, N'Golo Kante, Sadio Mane, Yassine Bounou, Nacho, Aymeric Laporte, and Fabinho are among the most famous players to have played in the Saudi Pro League.

Steven Gerrard, Laurent Blanc, and Stefano Pioli are some of Saudi Pro League's most prominent managers in history.

The King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, which is home to Al-Shabab and Al-Riyadh, is the biggest stadium in Saudi Pro League. It has a capacity of 68,752.

Neymar is the most expensive player in Saudi Pro League history, costing a whopping £77.6 million when Al-Hilal bought him from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.