Villarreal boss Marcelino insists Thomas Partey is 'mentally prepared' to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on Tuesday, just 24 hours before the midfielder appears in court over multiple rape charges. The former Arsenal star denies all allegations but will line up against his old rivals in north London before attending his plea hearing at Southwark Crown Court.
Borussia Dortmund’s new away kit has sparked outrage among supporters, who branded it the "cruelest jersey in the Bundesliga" during the 2-0 win over Heidenheim. Fans held banners and chanted against the gray-and-neon design, forcing BVB bosses Carsten Cramer and Sebastian Kehl to publicly respond and promise the club will "address" concerns over tradition and identity.
Former Bayern Munich midfielder Lothar Matthaus has provided his thoughts ahead of the first matchday of the Champions League. According to the legendary former Germany international, Bayern Munich will be one of the seven favourites to clinch the coveted continental title this season, backing the Bavarians to overcome Club World Cup holders Chelsea in their opener on Wednesday.
Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen has made it clear he wants to extend his stay at Camp Nou beyond the current season. Despite his contract expiring next summer, the Dane rejected lucrative offers from the Premier League, Bundesliga, Saudi Arabia and even La Liga rivals in order to stay in Spain. With Inigo Martinez gone and Hansi Flick reshaping the defence, Christensen sees an open path to reclaim a starting role.
Xabi Alonso heaped praise on Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal for his "competitive gene" and claimed that he will be a "fundamental" player this season. Those remarks could come as a huge setback for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has started just twice in four La Liga matches this season since joining from Liverpool in the summer window.
Como head coach Cesc Fabregas urged patience after his side were held to a late 1-1 draw against Genoa, stressing that his squad are still young and developing. Despite Alvaro Morata and Sergi Roberto being the only experienced winners, the Spaniard believes the project is on the right path as Como look to continue their climb up Serie A.
Alvaro Morata has slammed the match officials for the Como vs Genoa game for not having a look at VAR before sending off former Real Madrid defender Jacobo Ramon. The marching orders for the Spaniard played a crucial role in the outcome of the fixture, as Como shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw against Patrick Vieira's team on Monday.
The mayor of Milan, Beppe Sala, has announced that an agreement has been reached with Inter and AC Milan for the sale of San Siro. However, the mayor has warned the two Milan-based outfits that the new stadium "must be ready by 2031 for the European Championship." Per reports earlier this year, the new stadium will be constructed adjacent to San Siro and will require over €1 billion.
Ex-Germany defender Mats Hummels has sounded the alarm over football’s relentless calendar, warning that elite players risk being “worn down” by the strain. The ex-Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich star believes the workload has hit its “maximum,” raising concerns that big names could soon miss key matches due to fatigue and injuries.
Legendary former Real Madrid midfielder Guti dreams of a return to football management five years after he last had a managerial role. After retiring from football, Guti worked in Real Madrid's academy and then was an assistant coach at Besiktas, before coaching Almeria in the second division. The iconic midfielder is hopeful of earning an opportunity like his former team-mate and current Madrid boss Xabi Alonso did.
Former Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has stated that big clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain will have learned their lesson in the new Champions League format after their shaky performances at the start of last season. The German legend believes the top clubs have learned that they must attempt to dominate the competition from the very first round.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has denied Real Madrid's claims that the league authorities targeted the club by sending a doping team to Los Blancos’ training ground on Monday. In the process, Tebas has taken a dig at Xabi Alonso’s side, that they blame La Liga for everything after the club registered an official complaint to FIFA.
Luis Enrique believes Paris Saint-Germain's first-ever Champions League triumph has lifted a weight off the squad, insisting it will be “easier” to win again this season. The Spaniard hailed his players for breaking through mental barriers last term, as Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Achraf Hakimi powered the club to a historic treble.
The most tantalising fixture on matchday one of the new Champions League season comes from the Allianz Arena, where kings of Germany Bayern Munich play host to Club World Cup winners Chelsea. These two teams have history - this will be the Blues' first trip back to Bavaria since lifting their first European Cup there in 2012 - but there is an extremely contemporary entity now linking them.
Diego Simeone freely admitted that he felt an overriding sense of relief after Atletico Madrid picked up their first win of the new Liga season on Saturday. As the Rojiblancos boss admitted after the 2-0 victory over Villarreal, "It wasn't just another day, after only two points from three matches."
Mason Greenwood has been told how to reach the next level with Marseille as the former Manchester United forward makes a return to Champions League football. The Englishman is preparing for the biggest game of his Marseille career so far as he readies himself to face Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. He has reignited his career in France after leaving Old Trafford under a cloud, and Tuesday night marks his return to top-tier European football.
Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos has thrown his full support behind new goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, who replaces Gianluigi Donnarumma following his move to Manchester City. The Brazilian defender hailed the 23-year-old’s personality, quick adaptation and potential to reach the pinnacle of the game as PSG prepare to begin their Champions League title defence against Atalanta.
Wayne Rooney has reportedly braced himself for an 'awkward' possible meeting with Ruben Amorim after criticising the Manchester United head coach. This is partly because the ex-Red Devils striker picks his son up from the club's training ground - a place the Portuguese regularly frequents.
Spain are attempting to lure Club Brugge prospect Samuel Gomez van Hoogen into pledging his international future to La Roja, despite competition from Belgium and Netherlands. The 19-year-old centre-back, who holds three passports, has yet to make a senior debut in official competition and could follow the same path as Dean Huijsen.
Manchester United players have made their feelings known on Rasmus Hojlund in response to the striker's fast start at Napoli following his loan move. It took him just 14 minutes in a Napoli shirt to do what he so often struggled to do at Old Trafford: score when it mattered.
A Lionel Messi rookie card from his time at Barcelona has sold for a history-making €1.5 million. The previous record was held by Brazilian icon Pele but the Inter Miami star's one has smashed past that €1.33m mark to become the outright No.1 in the rankings.
Arne Slot has jumped to the defence of Florian Wirtz after his slow start at Liverpool, while hitting out at those criticising the club's lavish spending. The Reds have been targeted after splashing £116 million ($158m) on the German and £450m ($615m) on arrivals overall, but Slot says that is not a fair assessment.
Years before Cristiano Ronaldo became a global icon and five-time Ballon d’Or winner, he made a striking declaration to then Manchester United team-mate Edwin van der Sar. The Dutch goalkeeper, reflecting on former Real Madrid and Juventus forward's early days at Old Trafford, remembers a hungry individual confidently stating he would become the best player in the world.
Alexander Isak might make his debut in Liverpool colours as Arne Slot revealed his plan ahead of the Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, with the striker included in the matchday squad. The Swede, snatched from Newcastle United for a jaw-dropping £125 million ($171m), has been handed the legendary No.9 jersey and is poised to finally step onto the pitch in front of the Kop.
Renan Lodi has unilaterally terminated his contract with Saudi heavyweights Al-Hilal after he was excluded from the list of players registered for the Saudi Pro League. A legal battle between the two parties is set to ensue, as the former Atletico Madrid left-back has vowed to "assert his rights like any worker" after being deprived of the chance to play regularly.
Former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard showed off his trademark dance moves after a pinpoint assist as FC Seoul got their AFC Champions League campaign underway. The English midfielder was the livewire in attack in a fiery 1-1 draw against Machida Zelvia at the Machida Gion Stadium as Seoul made their comeback into Champions League Elite after five years.
Manchester United will face an eye-watering compensation fee if they sack head coach Ruben Amorim inside the first year of his contract. The Portuguese is under mounting pressure to keep his job after a difficult 10 months in charge of the Red Devils, but even if their poor results continue, the Premier League giants may give the 40-year-old more time to shine rather than swinging the axe soon.
Henry Martín picked up the injury during Monday’s training session and is expected to be out for an undetermined period. The Club América captain had just returned in the 2-1 Clásico Nacional defeat to Chivas. After an injury-plagued year, he had regained fitness but still hasn’t scored this Apertura 2025 after eight rounds.
The National Women's Soccer League has finalized a supplemental media rights agreement with ESPN that expands the network's coverage for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Under the new terms, ABC and ESPN networks will carry 16 additional regular-season games each year, increasing their total NWSL match coverage from 33 per season.
Russell Martin’s turbulent start as Rangers manager plunged into fresh chaos after he dragged his struggling squad into the freezing waters of Loch Lomond for a bizarre team-bonding session. Just 48 hours after another miserable defeat, this time to Hearts, the 39-year-old boss opted for swimming and hiking instead of the usual drills at the training ground.