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.
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.
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.
Years before Cristiano Ronaldo became a global icon and five-time Ballon dâOr 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.
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.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has explained the club's decision to let Nicolas Jackson join Bayern Munich on a season-long loan. The striker secured a deadline day move to the German giants, just when it looked like a switch to the Bundesliga might not happen. Now, the Senegal international's current team are set to face his old employers in the Champions League.
Nicolas Jackson could find himself lining up against his former team-mates when Bayern Munich collide with Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday. Thanks to UEFAâs competition integrity rules, the 24-year-old striker is free to face the Blues despite being on loan from Stamford Bridge.
A famous Leeds United-connected pub has changed its name in tribute of a two-time Premier League promotion champion. The Whites are back in the English top-flight after two years away, with Daniel Farke's side aiming to beat the drop this season and reverse the trend of Championship teams not making the grade. Amid that goal, The Old Peacock has shown its class towards an ex-striker.
Manchester United have been told to take a leaf out of Sheffield United's book and re-hire one of their former managers. The Championship side sacked Chris Wilder in June before recalling him this week for a third stint and now the Red Devils are being urged to sack head coach Ruben Amorim and bring back an Old Trafford favourite as soon as possible.
Gianluigi Donnarumma says moving to Manchester City was his "only option" despite being linked with Manchester United this summer. The goalkeeper went from being a vital player at Paris Saint-Germain to a Luis Enrique outcast in a matter of months. Now he is with Pep Guardiola's team, the Italian feels he has been at the Etihad for "many years" already.
Bayern Munich are reportedly hoping to exploit a transfer precedent set by Chelsea with loanee Nicolas Jackson. The striker secured a deadline day season-long loan move to the German giants with a conditional obligation to buy for ÂŁ54 million. But it seems the Bundesliga champions are exploring ways to snap up the Senegal international for a smaller fee.
Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones was honoured at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium after he completed his sport directorship degree in a bid to start a new career. Jones only retired last year after so much time spent battling injury setbacks, walking away from playing with just five senior appearances in his final four seasons. Now, instead of marshalling defences, he's plotting moves from the boardroom.
Jose Mourinho has been told to "accept" that "his career is over" as the former Chelsea & Manchester United boss nears a surprise return to Benfica. The 62-year-old tactician, coming off an ill-fated stint at Fenerbahce, is reportedly in advanced talks to take charge at the Portuguese giants once again. However, some fans aren't buying the comeback story.
Pep Guardiola has crushed talk that Abdukodir Khusanov could be Manchester Cityâs permanent right-back solution, despite the youngsterâs heroic display in Sundayâs derby demolition of Manchester United. The Catalan manager admitted the Uzbekistan international has the tools to cover the role, but warned the brutal intensity of Cityâs fixture calendar makes it impossible for the 21-year-old to handle the job on a full-time basis.
Bruno Guimaraes has called for Newcastle to avoid the heartbreak of losing key players like Alexander Isak in the future, following the ÂŁ125 million sale of the Swedish striker to Liverpool this summer. Speaking ahead of Newcastleâs Champions League clash with Barcelona, the Brazilian star and Magpies captain made it clear that the dressing room does not want to see any more prized assets depart St James' Park.
Gianluigi Donnarumma joked about not taking his mother to the Etihad Stadium for the Champions League opener against Napoli on Thursday. The Manchester City goalkeeper, who arrived at the end of the summer transfer window, revealed that his family members are big supporters of the current Serie A champions. However, he remains determined on helping his new team kick-off their continental campaign with a win.
Manchester United's downfall under Ruben Amorim looks no closer to halting with the Red Devils enduring their worst start in 33 years. Fans of the 20-time Premier League champions are urging the club to re-sign former coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after showing proof that the Norwegian manager was sacked prematurely in 2021.
Peter Schmeichel admits that Antony was ânever good enough for Manchester Unitedâ but the Red Devils legend has questioned why Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund were allowed to leave Old Trafford. The Scotland international midfielder and Danish striker are now team-mates again in Italy at Napoli after surprisingly being deemed surplus to requirements.
Tottenham Hotspurâs Champions League return could not have been scripted better, with Lucas Bergvall delivering a standout debut under the lights and earning plaudits from legends of the game. Ange Postecoglouâs groundwork from last season is now paying dividends, with the teenager stepping up on Europeâs biggest stage under new boss Thomas Frank.
Chelseaâs return to the Champions League was undone by costly mistakes, as Cole Palmer admitted their own errors gifted Bayern Munich a 3-1 victory at the Allianz Arena. Harry Kane, once again tormenting his former Premier League rivals, scored twice as the Blues faltered in their league-stage opener. Palmer, who netted a superb strike himself, insisted the defeat was avoidable.
Before Sir Jim Ratcliffe invested in Manchester United, he tried to buy Chelsea. Although he grew up on a council estate in Failsworth in north Manchester and attended games at Old Trafford with his father as a child, Ratcliife took a liking to Chelsea as an adult while living and working in affluent west London.
Liverpoolâs record signing Alexander Isak finally pulled on the Reds shirt for the first time, featuring in Wednesday nightâs thrilling 3-2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid. The ÂŁ125 million striker lasted just under an hour at Anfield, but his display left Arne Slot both encouraged and slightly taken aback by the Swedeâs sharpness so soon after joining from Newcastle.
Sporting CP are not feeling the absence of Viktor Gyokeres after the Swedish international signed for Arsenal over the summer. The Portuguese giants have signed Luis Suarez to succeed Gyokeres, with the Colombian striker earning high praise from team-mate Pedro Goncalves. In six games for the club since his arrival, Suarez has been directly involved in as many goals.
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has been linked with a free transfer to Juventus at the end of the season. The Portuguese international could follow in the footsteps of his former team-mate Kevin De Bruyne, who joined Serie A side Napoli on a free transfer in the summer. However, Silva is keeping his options open, with the possibility of a return to Portugal also on the table, and has yet to make a decision on his future.
A Liverpool legend has revealed that he played for bitter rivals Everton in his youth before going on to become an Anfield icon. Reds hero Jamie Carragher famously grew up supporting the Toffees before moving to their Merseyside foes and Steven Gerrard was pictured wearing an Everton kit as a youngster. Now, another club great has revealed his connection to the blue half of the city.
Nicolas Jackson's Chelsea career is reportedly over as the Senegal striker is still hoping to make a permanent switch to Bayern Munich. The deal that took him away from West London was as complex as it was costly. Bayern shelled out âŹ16.5m for the temporary arrangement, with the possibility of turning it into a âŹ65m full transfer. That puts the overall package at âŹ81.5m (ÂŁ71m/$96m).
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher tore into Chelsea and claimed the Blues "can't pretend" that the Todd Boehly era has been a success after they spent ÂŁ2bn to win only the Conference League and the Club World Cup. Since Boehlyâs consortium took control at Stamford Bridge, the Blues have been trying to rebuild a squad that was once one of Europe's finest. However, after an eye-watering spend, Chelsea find themselves on the outside looking in at the Premier Leagueâs top dogs.
Rafael Benitez claims that Newcastle United are "missing" Alexander Isak already following his big-money move to Liverpool. After going on strike and trying to force a St James' Park exit, the Sweden international finally joined the Reds for a British record fee of ÂŁ125 million ($169m) on transfer deadline day. Now, the Spaniard, who managed both sides, says Isak's departure is a big loss for the Magpies.
West Ham are reportedly eyeing a deal to appoint Gary O'Neil amid Graham Potter's disastrous start to the season as the Hammers consider an emotional return for their former midfielder. The pressure cooker at West Ham has finally hit full steam. A humiliating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham has left Graham Potterâs reign dangling by a thread, and the board are now seriously weighing up a change in the dugout.
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