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Newcastle United promised so much on their return to the Champions League but Marcus Rashford's moments of magic secured Barcelona a hard-fought 2-1 win. Eddie Howe's team got their tactics spot on for the majority of the contest but the Catalan outfit had that extra bit of quality, despite Anthony Gordon's late consolation strike.

The South Korea captain has brought attacking quality to LAFC, as well as a willingness to be a face for the league

More than a year after FIFA initially sided with Dani Alves, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned that decision and ruled in favor of Pumas UNAM. The Mexican side had pursued the case since May 2024, demanding $5 million in penalties plus reimbursement of $1.125 million in image rights payments.

Marcus Rashford has belatedly arrived at Barcelona - and all it took was a return to England to spark the Manchester United misfit into life, with the forward netting a breathtaking brace in the Blaugrana's 2-1 win over Newcastle at St. James' Park.

Manchester City opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over 10-man Napoli on Thursday. Despite dominating the ball in the early stages, the visitors quickly became content to sit in a low block, soaking up City pressure before looking to hit on the counter. After a long range effort from Tijani Reijnders stung the gloves of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Gianluigi Donnarumma was called into action to stop a Sam Beukema header from a Napoli corner.

The United States, Mexico and Canada - the three 2026 World Cup hosts - had mixed fortunes in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, the first update since July. The USMNT slipped one spot to 16th following a loss to South Korea and a win over Japan. Mexico dropped to 14th, while Canada climbed to 26th after back-to-back victories.

Elisabeth Terland was at her clinical best on Thursday night to fire Manchester United into the Women's Champions League proper for the first time, her hat-trick haunting former side Brann and giving the Red Devils a 3-0 win which rendered last week's 1-0 loss in Bergen meaningless.

Cesc Fabregas has been described as "very professional and passionate" by his former Como head coach and ex-Spanish national team-mate Pepe Reina. The former Liverpool custodian spent the 2024-25 season at Como, under the orders of Fabregas. The 38-year-old has become one of the best young managers in the world, helping then newly-promoted Como finish 10th in the Serie A table last season.

Spain have reportedly threatened to boycott the 2026 World Cup if Israel qualify. After a United Nations commission of inquiry stated that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza this week, Spanish government officials say they will "assess" the situation if Ran Ben-Shimon's team make it to next year's tournament in North America.

Atletico Madrid and UEFA will reportedly launch an investigation into the heated clashes that overshadowed Liverpool's 3-2 Champions League win at Anfield. Atletico boss Diego Simeone was shown a red card following a heated exchange with a Reds fan on Wednesday night after Virgil van Dijk's late winner. Now, a probe will look into an Atletico employee appearing to spit into the crowd.

Mallorca turned heads last season as the resourceful club finished 10th in La Liga after contending for European places. That momentum hasn't carried over early in the 2025-26 season as Los Bermellones sit in the relegation zone at 19th. Stu Holden, part of a high-profile North American ownership group, expects things will turn around.

Former USMNT midfielder Stu Holden says travel and security are the two major priorities ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The FOX Sports analyst joined former USMNT player Alexi Lalas in consulting with the White House task force for the event, saying, “we want this to be remembered as the best World Cup ever."

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been handed a much-needed boost as Lisandro Martinez edges closer to a return after seven months out with an ACL injury. The Argentinian defender has stepped back onto the grass for the first time since February, raising hopes of a comeback after the international break.

Hundreds of soccer clubs worldwide will share in a $355 million fund from FIFA’s multi-billion 2026 World Cup revenues, compensating them for releasing players to national teams during the tournament. FIFA has long paid clubs for World Cup participants but announced this week that the plan now extends to players in qualifiers as well.

Dele Alli’s downfall remains “difficult” to understand, with Roberto Di Matteo - who saw the ex-England international taking his first steps towards senior stardom - urging the former Tottenham midfielder to “enjoy life”. Dele finds himself at another important career crossroads after seeing his contract surprisingly terminated by Serie A side Como.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami close to finalizing multiyear deal to extend his stay in South Florida, according to ESPN. The eight time Ballon d'Or winner has been linked with moves to a number of other clubs, but appears set to extend his MLS career. His current deal, signed in 2023, expires at the end of the 2025 season.

Harry Kane admits to being in the form of his life, with the Bayern Munich superstar feeling better than ever. That is because goals have continued to flow at a remarkable rate for the England international, with his stunning tally at the start of the 2025-26 campaign being taken into double figures with a brace against Chelsea in the Champions League.

Jamie Carragher has hailed Harry Kane as the “best striker England have ever had”, with the Bayern Munich superstar putting on another finishing masterclass in the Champions League. The former Tottenham Hotspur frontman has been told that he would have smashed Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goals record had he chosen to remain in his homeland.

Heung-Min Son is loving life in the United States after bidding farewell to Tottenham, with the South Korean superstar netting his first MLS hat-trick for LAFC. After 10 years in north London, the 33-year-old forward now finds himself in California. He has made an immediate impact there, with another match ball being added to his collection against Real Salt Lake.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone was sent off for his involvement in an altercation with Liverpool fans after his side fell to a 3-2 loss in the dying minutes of the Champions League clash. The Argentine admitted that his reaction was not justifiable, even though he claimed to have been on the receiving end of insults throughout the match at Anfield.

Ange Postecoglou was left “frustrated” after seeing Nottingham Forest exit the Carabao Cup in dramatic fashion at Swansea, with complacent players being blamed for an embarrassing defeat in South Wales. The Reds led a second-round contest heading into stoppage-time, but suffered a stunning late collapse that ultimately left them on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline.

When it was revealed that Leah Williamson would miss the start of the new Women's Super League season, most assumed Lotte Wubben-Moy or Laia Codina would take her place in the heart of Arsenal's defence. Wubben-Moy came into the campaign fresh off the back of a new contract and a role in England's Euro 2025 triumph, while Codina's status as a key starter in Spain's World Cup win in 2023 tells you the level she can reach. And yet, both have been usurped by 18-year-old Katie Reid.

Barcelona's first stop on the long road to European glory takes them to Newcastle, where they will come up against a formidable opponent and equally formidable atmosphere at St James' Park without the talismanic Lamine Yamal. The injured 18-year-old has been ruled out, having found himself at the centre of a feud between club and country, but loanee Marcus Rashford will be determined to make an impact in his absence.

Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovac asks the media to refrain from turning Jobe Bellingham's playing time concerns into a media frenzy as he warned the midfielder he will have to fight for a place in the starting XI. He claims the crucial thing is to perform as a team after the England international's was benched for the Champions League opener against Juventus on Tuesday.

Mic'd Up: Holden discussed Reyna's move to Gladbach, Pochettino's evolving tactics and nation set to be 'consumed by the World Cup'

Regarding Weston McKennie's role within the national team setup as well as for Juventus, former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas said that the veteran midfielder presents uniques challenges from a coaching perspective which have consistently clouded his club future. He noted that those challenges come despite the fact McKennie rarely misses time.

Timmy Abraham, the brother of former Chelsea striker Tammy, is set to play in front of Lionel Messi in a 1v1 tournament founded by the Inter Miami and Argentina star. Timmy will be hoping to impress Messi when he heads to Miami, alongside semi-professional female footballer Che Thomas, to compete against 'ballers' from all over the world in the hope of being crowned the world’s best.

Harry Kane created Champions League history as he fired Bayern Munich to a 3-1 victory over Chelsea on Wednesday evening. The 32-year-old scored in both halves as the German champions made a winning return to Europe’s elite club competition at the Allianz Arena.

Chelsea endured a disappointing return to the Champions League as they succumbed to a Harry Kane double in a 3-1 loss at Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening. The Blues - competing in Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2022-23 - played well for large spells but they could not build on Cole Palmer’s brilliant first-half strike as Vincent Kompany’s men emerged victorious at the Allianz Arena.