Jose Mourinho aimed a playful jibe at Manchester City when being quizzed on the 74 charges that are now hanging over Chelsea. The Portuguese coach, who has taken in two spells as Blues boss, finds himself back at Stamford Bridge for a Champions League fixture. The ‘Special One’ has returned to his homeland as the new boss at Benfica, with the 62-year-old having lost none of his ability to entertain when speaking to the media.
Jose Mourinho says he “would love” to have Pedro Neto at Benfica, describing the Chelsea man as “one of the best wingers in the world”. The Portuguese was full of praise for his compatriot as he prepares to make an emotional return to Stamford Bridge when the two teams do battle in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Barcelona sporting director Deco has lifted the lid on contract renewal discussions between the club and key midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The Netherlands international’s current deal expires next summer but the Blaugrana hierarchy have now revealed they are confident fresh terms will be agreed soon as negotiations are set to continue between both parties.
Jose Mourinho has warned Chelsea he will not be feeling sentimental when he attempts to lead Benfica to victory on his highly-anticipated return to Stamford Bridge. The Special One heads back to his old stomping ground on Tuesday evening when the Portuguese giants lock horns with Enzo Maresca’s Blues in the latest round of Champions League fixtures.
Federico Chiesa has not travelled with Liverpool for their Champions League clash with Galatasaray on Tuesday, despite the winger’s impressive run of form. The Italy international was registered in the Reds’ European squad in place of injured team-mate and compatriot Giovanni Leoni but he has since been left at home for the trip to Turkey.
Federico Valverde has revealed Real Madrid held a series of "rare" crisis talks after their 5-2 derby humiliation against Atletico Madrid. The midfielder slammed his teammates' attitude as Xabi Alonso's men were overpowered in the second half of the encounter despite going in level at half-time with a 2-2 scoreline.
Bayern Munich forward Luis Diaz admits he has been surprised by the complete package possessed by Harry Kane after forming a formidable partnership with his new team-mate this season. The star duo have been in scintillating form in front of goal to help the Bundesliga champions win their opening eight games in all competitions in 2025-26.
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho has cheekily admitted he is “happy” Cole Palmer will be absent when he makes an emotional return to his former club Chelsea next week. The Special One heads back to his old stomping ground when he takes the Portuguese giants to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that how former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich viewed Jose Mourinho played a key role in his Chelsea sacking. The Italian coach, who won the Premier League and FA Cup double in his first season, said the Russian billionaire measured his success against Mourinho, and their Champions League clash with Inter Milan proved decisive in his eventual departure from Stamford Bridge.
Harry Kane has been praised by Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl for his “special development” under Vincent Kompany’s system. The England captain has been in lethal form at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, scoring 13 goals in just seven games across all competitions, and is already closing in on the 100-goal milestone for the German champions.
Mark Clattenburg has lifted the lid on a spat he had with Jurgen Klopp that led to the former Premier League referee telling the German to 'f*ck off'. Joining Adebayo Akinfenwa for episode seven of the Beast Mode On Podcast, Clattenburg explained how Klopp had sought to blame the match official for a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid, leading to a fiery response from the referee.
In the seventh episode of the Beast Mode On Podcast, Adebayo Akinfenwa is joined by Mark Clattenburg, who carved out a career as one of Europe's top referees. The 50-year-old, who took charge of the Champions League and European Championship final in 2016, discusses his interactions with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as well a particularly heated exchange with former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and much, much more.
Barcelona are cautiously managing Lamine Yamal’s recovery as the teenage star edges closer to full fitness ahead of the Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain. Hansi Flick admitted the teenager is “almost back” but stressed no risks will be taken. With PSG and Ousmane Dembele looming on October 1, Barca are preparing to have their prodigy fit for Europe’s biggest stage.
Hansi Flick admitted Ousmane Dembele “deserved” the Ballon d’Or after the Paris Saint-Germain forward’s spectacular season, while insisting Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has taken finishing second in his stride. Flick revealed Yamal is "motivated" to win the prize in the near future and ready to respond with performances as Barca prepare for their upcoming fixtures.
Federico Chiesa has broken his silence on Arne Slot's decision to leave him out of Liverpool's Champions League squad. The Italy international will not be playing in Europe, but he has still maintained his plan for the season is to prove his worth, and attempt to become indispensable under Slot.
Lionel Messi is in line for more Ballon d’Or recognition after seeing Inter Miami nominated for a new award. Paris Saint-Germain superstar Ousmane Dembele walked away with the Golden Ball in 2025, with the one-time Barcelona team-mate of Argentine icon Messi being named the best player on the planet. Several other prestigious prizes have been handed out.
Ousmane Dembele was presented with the Ballon d'Or for 2025 at a typically lavish ceremony in Paris on Monday night, capping a remarkable redemption at Paris Saint-Germain for a player regarded by Barcelona fans as one of the worst signings in the club's history.
Ousmane Dembele has joined the likes of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane in an elite trophy club after being named the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner. The Paris Saint-Germain forward was crowned the best player on the planet at a glitzy ceremony in the French capital, with the France international fending off competition from Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.
It is the year 2025 and Ousmane Dembele is a Ballon d'Or winner. It's a reality that might require a little getting used to, as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar's path to this point has been far from smooth, but it is a fitting end point nonetheless.
Paris Saint-Germain have been ranked as the Men's Club of the Year at the 2025 Ballon d'Or gala after Les Parisiens won a historic quadruple led by Luis Enrique. Arsenal were named the Women's Club of the Year after their massive Women's Champions League campaign last season under Renee Slegers, becoming the first side to dethrone Barcelona from the pedestal.
Say what you will about the merits of the Ballon d'Or, but last year's ceremony was undeniably dramatic. The event organisers, France Football, have always insisted that "no player or club knows who has won the Ballon d'Or" before the victor is announced on stage - but Real Madrid refused to even turn up after learning hours in advance that Rodri had beaten Vinicius Jr to the men's prize.
If the voting process for the Ballon d'Or were truly fair, Lionel Messi would have 14 Golden Balls to his name instead of eight. The Barcelona legend was by far the best footballer in the world between 2008 and 2021, but had to concede defeat to Cristiano Ronaldo five times, and Luka Modric once, as the Real Madrid duo were rewarded for spearheading their team's unprecedented success in the Champions League.
If you thought the days of the Ballon d'Or generating headlines were over after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's era of dominance came to an end, then think again. After one of the most closely-fought races for a number of years, Rodri came out on top in 2024, beating Vinicius Jr into second place as Real Madrid dramatically boycotted the ceremony in Paris in protest at their star player missing out.
U.S. legend Tony Meola voiced concern over Yunus Musah’s recent form, calling it part of a troubling decline dating back to his final year at AC Milan. Meola urged the midfielder to change course, regain confidence and aim to develop on his potential. Musah struggled mightily in Atlanta's 4-0 defeat by PSG in a midweek Champions League match.
Ilkay Gundogan has lamented Galatasaray's mental fragility following their 5-1 Champions League thrashing by Eintracht Frankfurt. The ex-Manchester City star claimed his side were superior until the German team equalised, after which their "heads were hanging down". Gundogan admitted they "invited" Frankfurt to score and must improve as a group as they look to bounce back from the humiliation.
Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk has fired back at Germany national coach Julian Nagelsmann over his comments about Leroy Sane. The national team boss has said Sane will have to perform beyond his usual expectations to make the squad after he joined the Turkish giants from Bayern Munich. Buruk, though, pointed to the recent loss to Slovakia as proof Germany aren't as good as Nagelsmann believes.
Marcus Rashford marked his first big Champions League night in Barcelona colours with a stunning brace against Newcastle at St. James’ Park. The forward became only the second Englishman to score for Barca in Europe, earning glowing praise from Hansi Flick, Ronald Araujo and Joan Garcia after firing the Catalan giants to a vital 2-1 win.
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