Kylian Mbappe has broken his silence on Real Madrid’s recent slump, admitting the team “played very badly” in the defeats to Atletico Madrid and Liverpool. His comments arrive at a sensitive moment for Xabi Alonso, whose strict methods have unsettled parts of the dressing room and exposed a tactical transition that is proving far more turbulent than expected.
Morten Hjulmand’s stock continues to rise after a standout Champions League display against Juventus, but Sporting CP have warned that even an €80 million bid won’t be enough to buy him in January. With his release clause currently deactivated, clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus will have to wait until summer to make a move for the Danish midfielder.
Dayot Upamecano has addressed ongoing uncertainty over his Bayern Munich future as several European giants circle ahead of a possible free transfer in the summer. The French defender has yet to agree a new deal with Bayern and insists his focus remains on performance, even as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League clubs prepare their approach. Upamecano has promised to make the “right decision” when the time comes.
Former Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has heaped praise on Bayern Munich, heralding the Bavarian giants' first-half performance in their 2-1 away win over PSG as "some of the best football" he has seen in years. Vincent Kompany's side are in imperious form to start the season, winning a record-breaking 16 straight games to open the 2025/26 season.
Niko Kovac held up Manchester City star Phil Foden's 'smooth control and finish' as an example for Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi after yet another disappointing performance on the pitch. Foden starred with a brace, while Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki also found the back of the net as City thrashed the Bundesliga side 4-1 in a Champions League clash on Wednesday at Etihad Stadium.
Barcelona director Deco has labelled discussion of coach Hansi Flick's style "irrelevant" after a chaotic 3-3 Champions League draw with Club Brugge. Despite defensive frailties, Deco insists the club "know perfectly well" where to improve and will rely on nothing other than hard work, drawing parallels to overcoming difficulties last season.
Micky van de Van scored a stunning solo goal for Tottenham in their Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen, but a couple of his club colleagues have snubbed the Dutchman when naming the best strike that they have ever seen. Another effort recorded in European competition, by Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo, gets the nod from a few of those in north London.
Marseille’s Champions League campaign has unravelled under Roberto De Zerbi, with just one win in four games and mounting criticism over his tactics and squad choices. After a frustrating 1-0 home loss to Atalanta, former France international Jerome Rothen blasted the Italian coach’s approach, saying he “can’t find the ingredients” to make Marseille click - while labelling everyone but Mason Greenwood and goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli “useless.”
Wayne Rooney has sought to bring an end to his supposed feud with Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. The Manchester United legend has found himself caught up in a war of words with the Netherlands international, with the pair coming face-to-face during an awkward television exchange after Van Dijk helped Liverpool to a Champions League win over Real Madrid.
Jamie Carragher has accused a Daily Mail journalist of having "sympathy about 115 charges" at Manchester City after seeing his attempts to sit in the away end at the Etihad Stadium reported on. The legendary former Liverpool defender has mingled with Borussia Dortmund fans in the past and had hoped to join them again for a Champions League fixture on English soil.
Marseille fell to a 1-0 home defeat against Atalanta in their Champions League clash on Wednesday, a match overshadowed by controversial refereeing decisions late on. Several Marseille players, along with head coach Roberto De Zerbi, were left furious after the referee declined to award a potential penalty just moments before Atalanta netted the decisive goal in the dying minutes.
Roy Keane has slammed Liverpool supporters for booing Trent Alexander-Arnold on his first return to Anfield since joining Real Madrid, accusing them of lacking 'class' after jeering a player who gave 'his everything' to the club. The Manchester United legend was left 'shocked' by the treatment of the local hero, who was booed throughout his late cameo in Los Blancos' Champions League defeat.
Lamine Yamal is ignoring his latest comparisons to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, with the teenage wonderkid pointing out that the Argentine GOAT has “scored 1000s of goals” that are similar to the strike he recorded against Club Brugge. Yamal delivered another moment of magic in that Champions League contest, but is reluctant to liken himself to an all-time great.
Romeo Lavia’s luckless spell at Chelsea took another cruel twist as the midfielder limped off just eight minutes into their 2-2 Champions League draw with Qarabag. Manager Enzo Maresca admitted he and the club “feel very ashamed” over the Belgian’s relentless injury troubles, which have restricted him to only 30 appearances since his £58 million move from Southampton in 2023.
Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho was empathetic while speaking about his decision to take off young left-back Samuel Dahl just minutes after his costly error gifted Bayer Leverkusen a goal during their Champions League encounter on Wednesday. Mourinho leapt to the defender's defence, arguing that conceding the goal was the team's mistake and not Dahl's.
Ajax are considering a sensational reunion with Erik ten Hag, with director Alex Kroes holding fresh talks to bring the former coach back amid mounting pressure on John Heitinga. The Dutch giants’ struggles under the ex-Liverpool assistant have prompted calls from fans and insiders for change as the club seek stability after another bruising European night.
Legendary former AC Milan and Netherlands footballer Marco van Basten blasted the officials for disallowing Club Brugge's goal, which would have potentially won them the game against Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Dutch icon erupted in anger after the game, claiming that the Belgian heavyweights "were robbed" and insisting that VAR made an incorrect decision.
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has hit back at misleading reports regarding his physical condition and mental state, claiming that a lot of what has been written and discussed is “all lies”. The 18-year-old looked fine when scoring a stunning goal in a thrilling Champions League draw with Club Brugge, but was subjected to jeers throughout that contest.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu believes his side could have played better during the 2-1 win over Champions League debutants Kairat Almaty, but had words of encouragement for his captain Lautaro Martinez, who scored his seventh goal of the season across all competitions. The Argentine has been urged by Chivu to play with a smile on his face and rediscover his passion for the game.
Hansi Flick refused to abandon Barcelona’s attacking principles despite a chaotic 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League. The German coach insisted his side’s issues stem from lapses in intensity and not tactics after the Catalans came from behind three times to salvage a point on another frustrating European night.
Phil Foden has admitted he is feeling happy again amid his resurgence in form following a difficult last season with Manchester City. Foden scored two spectacular goals as City thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday night at the Etihad and he highlighted the team's improved attitude and team spirit compared to one year ago.
Chelsea's players were criticised by Qarabag manager Gurban Gurbanov for being "inattentive" in their 2-2 draw in the Champions League on Wednesday. What was expected to be a routine night for the Premier League giants quickly descended into chaos as the travelling Blues clung on to secure only one point on their travels to Azerbaijan.
A Champions League record long held by Manchester United legend David Beckham has been taken by Club Brugge star Carlos Forbs following his sparkling goalscoring display against Barcelona. The 21-year-old scored twice and bagged an assist as the Belgian side held the Spanish giants to a 3-3 draw in a thrilling encounter. And he notched a bit of history along the way, too.
Enzo Maresca tore into his Chelsea players following Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Qarabag. The Blues were expected to ease to victory in Azerbaijan in their early Champions League clash but were forced to share the spoils despite dominating for large periods. And the Italian pulled no punches as he criticised his side at both ends of the pitch following the midweek stalemate.
Phil Foden picked up his wand and produced more magic in the Champions League to inspire Manchester City to a 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund. Foden broke the deadlock with a brilliant finish before Erling Haaland struck against his former club. Foden scored a delightful second goal after the break to give City a three-goal cushion, but Pep Guardiola's side then lived dangerously.
Club Brugge and Barcelona played out a six-goal thriller on Wednesday night as the spoils were shared in an entertaining 3-3 draw. The Belgian side responded to back-to-back Champions League defeats with a solid point. Barcelona, meanwhile, came from behind three times to secure what could prove a precious result in their bid to book their place in the last 16 of the competition.
Stunning headers from Joelinton and Dan Burn in particular secured Newcastle a comfortable 2-0 win over Athletic Club in the Champions League. Goals in either half from their experienced campaigners helped the Magpies climb to sixth in the league phase table, with Eddie Howe's men now inching closer to the knockout stages after a third straight European victory.
Erling Haaland set a new Champions League record with a goal against former side Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night. Haaland added to an extensive fine haul in Manchester City's welcome of the German giants as he netted his fifth Champions League goal of the season on the half-hour mark. And the first-half strike saw the Norwegian goal machine make history.
Alejandro Garnacho broke new ground for English clubs in the Champions League with his goal for Chelsea against Qarabag. The Argentina international came off the bench when his side were 2-1 down but grabbed a crucial equaliser soon after his introduction. And in doing so, the former Manchester United star created a little bit of history for himself.
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