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Champions League news

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Umtiti reveals new 'ultimate goal' after retiring at 31

Samuel Umtiti has officially retired at just 31, bringing an end to a career that promised so much but was derailed by chronic knee injuries. The 2018 World Cup winner enjoyed highs with Lyon, Barcelona and France, but is now ready to take on a new challenge. Umtiti revealed his "ultimate goal" is to move into coaching, saying he has already started preparing for life on the touchline.

Paris Saint-Germain v FC Internazionale Milano - UEFA Champions League Final 2025

Inter boss says stop 'throwing stones' at Sommer after Juve defeat

Inter head coach Cristian Chivu has urged the fans to stop "throwing stones" at goalkeeper Yann Sommer after his disastrous performance did little to prevent his side from losing to Juventus over the weekend. Chivu remains confident in the Swiss international's experience and abilities, adding that Sommer will retain his place in the starting lineup against Ajax in the Champions League opener.

Xavi Simons Djed Spence

'Too many times!' - Frank gives verdict on Simons & Spence partnership

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has given a brutally honest verdict on the partnership between new signing Xavi Simons and Djed Spence after seeing Spurs beat Villarreal 1-0 in their opening Champions League match of the 2025-26 campaign. An early own goal from Yellow Submarine goalkeeper Luiz Junior ensured Tottenham took all three points in a narrow win in north London.

GFX Frenkie de Jong Lamine Yamal

Yamal is out! Barca confirm absence for Newcastle clash

Lamine Yamal will not be available for the Champions League opener against Newcastle on Thursday, much to the dismay of head coach Hansi Flick. A war of words broke out between the German and the Spanish FA after he criticised the Spanish national team for not looking after Yamal. However, on the bright side, Frenkie de Jong has been named in the matchday squad.

Trent Alexander-Arnold Real Madrid 2025-26

Alexander-Arnold to miss next England camp after fresh injury blow

Trent Alexander-Arnold is reportedly set for six weeks on the sidelines after Real Madrid confirmed the full extent of his new injury. The England international lasted less than five minutes on the pitch on his Champions League debut for Madrid as he was forced off with a muscle issue against Marseille on Tuesday. Dani Carvajal came on as a replacement but the Spaniard was later sent off for headbutting an opponent.

Kane-Chelsea-fans

Kane 'motivated' to silence Chelsea faithful

Ex-Tottenham striker Harry Kane has admitted that he's "motivated" to silence the Chelsea fans as Bayern Munich prepare to host Enzo Maresca's side in their Champions League opener on Wednesday. Kane has kicked off another campaign in Germany on a fiery note, scoring eight goals across all competitions in just five appearances.

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'Shouldn't be offended' - Alonso warns Vini Jr. to get used to bench

Vinicius Junior was named on the bench for Real Madrid's Champions League opener against Marseille on Tuesday, with Rodrygo starting in his place on the left wing. After the game, head coach Xabi Alonso made it clear that the squad must get used to his rotational policy and sit out a game every now and then, but reassured that Vinicius remains just as important to the cause.

Athletic Club v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1

Trossard confirmed as ultimate super sub after vital UCL goal

Leandro Trossard has been effectively confirmed as the Premier League's ultimate super-sub after his goal in Arsenal's 2-0 Champions League win over Athletic Club. The Belgian has struggled to become a regular in Mikel Arteta's team and was linked with an Emirates exit this summer. But his contributions off the bench mean the Gunners can ill-afford to sell him.

Kylian Mbappe Cristiano Ronaldo

Mbappe becomes fastest Real star since Ronaldo to hit major milestone

Kylian Mbappe scored twice for Real Madrid against Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday to take his tally to 50 goals in 64 matches for Los Blancos. The France international has now become the fastest player to reach a half-century of goals for Real Madrid since Cristiano Ronaldo hit the landmark in 2010 by hitting his 51st goal in just 54 appearances.

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Alonso delivers update on Alexander-Arnold injury

Xabi Alonso delivered an update on Trent Alexander-Arnold's injury after the Real Madrid full-back was forced off in their 2-1 Champions League win against Marseille on Tuesday inside the first five minutes. Alexander-Arnold was replaced by veteran defender Dani Carvajal, who was shown a red card in the 72nd minute for headbutting Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

FBL-EUR-C1-REAL MADRID-MARSEILLE

Marseille goalkeeper denies 'exaggerating' Carvajal headbutt

Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli has denied that he exaggerated as he fell to the ground following a clash of heads with Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal. The Madrid star was sent off for forcing his head up against the shot-stopper's late on in the Champions League clash between the two clubs on Tuesday. The Spanish side went on to score via a Kylian Mbappe penalty, sealing a 2-1 win.

Athletic Club v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1

'Could see in his eyes' - Arteta knew Martinelli would be match-winner

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has claimed that he knew that Gabriel Martinelli would turn out to be the match-winner against Athletic Club on Tuesday. The Gunners boss sent on the Brazilian in the second half and saw him break the deadlock just 36 seconds after coming off the bench as the Gunners started their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory at San Mames.

Kenan Yildiz Karim Adeyemi Juventus Borussia Dortmund 2025

Adeyemi & Yildiz explain joke during Juve-Dortmund goal fest

Karim Adeyemi and Kenan Yildiz shared a light-hearted exchange in the pulsating 4-4 Champions League draw between Borussia Dortmund and Juventus. The pair, who once attended the same school in Germany, traded words after each scored spectacular goals. Both later clarified their comments, with Adeyemi jokingly telling Yildiz not to score again, while the Juve youngster recalled admiring his old friend as a role model.

Juventus v Borussia Dortmund - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1

Juve boss slams costly referee decision in thrilling Dortmund draw

Juventus fought back with two stoppage-time goals to draw 4-4 with Borussia Dortmund in Tuesday's Champions League thriller, but coach Igor Tudor was furious after the game. The Croatian blasted referee Francois Letexier and VAR for missing a first-half handball that he felt should have given his side a penalty that would have changed the course of the game.

Diego Simeone Atletico Madrid manager GFX

Could Fernando Torres replace Diego Simeone at Atletico?

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."

Mourinho Benfica Fenerbahce

Mourinho in advanced talks with Benfica after Lage sacking

Jose Mourinho is reportedly in advanced talks to take the reins at Benfica after the Portuguese club sacked manager Bruno Lage in the aftermath of their humiliating Champions League defeat to Qarabag FK. The Liga Portugal giants blew a two-goal lead on their way to a 3-2 defeat in their Champions League opener at home on Tuesday. Lage was immediately relieved of his duties after the game.

Nicolas Jackson Chelsea Bayern Munich GFX

How Jackson's Chelsea dream turned to nightmare

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.

Napoli Manchester rejects GFX 16:9

How Napoli became a safe haven for Manchester's rejects

"Naples has always been marginalised by the rest of Italy. It is a city that suffers the most unfair racism," said Diego Maradona. When he played for Napoli in the more prosperous northern cities like Milan and Turin, he and his team-mates would be subjected to banners reading 'Welcome to Italy'; 'Napoli, cholera sufferers' or 'Vesuvius, wash them with fire'.

FC Bayern München v Hamburger SV - Bundesliga

Why Jackson can play for Bayern against Chelsea

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 UEFA’s competition integrity rules, the 24-year-old striker is free to face the Blues despite being on loan from Stamford Bridge.

Harry Kane Bayern Munich 2025-26

Kane admits Bayern have a 'long mountain to climb' to win UCL

Harry Kane admitted that Bayern Munich have a "long mountain to climb" to win the Champions League but he believes they can go all the way. The England captain, fresh off a blistering Bundesliga weekend where he netted twice in a 5-0 demolition of Hamburg, insisted that simply making up the numbers in Europe’s elite competition isn’t good enough for the German giants.

Kompany Jackson

Kompany admits seeking inside info on Chelsea from Jackson

Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany has admitted he has spoken to Nicolas Jackson about parent club Chelsea as the two teams prepare to face off in the Champions League. The striker swapped the Blues for the German giants on loan and now he could be particularly helpful for the Bundesliga outfit. Incidentally, Kompany has highlighted a "hidden strength" Enzo Maresca's team possess.

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Maresca provides cryptic injury update on Chelsea star Palmer

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has issued a cryptic update on whether Cole Palmer will be fit enough to face Bayern Munich in their Champions League opener. The Blues star produced a goal-scoring display off the bench against Brentford following a spell on the sidelines and now his Italian head coach has spoken about his current fitness levels before taking on the German giants.

Frequently asked questions

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have won the Ligue 1 title 12 times, more than any other club. Their first win was in 1986, and they claimed their record-breaking 12th title in 2023, surpassing AS Saint-Etienne.

The Ligue 1 consists of 18 teams since the 2023-24 season, prior to which 20 teams took part in the league. The inaugural season of the French first division in 1932-33 also consisted of 20 teams, divided in two groups of 10 teams each.

Mickael Landreau holds the record for the most Ligue 1 appearances, with 618 matches as a goalkeeper. His career spanned nearly two decades, playing for clubs like Nantes, Paris Saint-Germain, Lille, and Bastia.

Delio Onnis holds the record as the all-time top scorer in Ligue 1 with 299 goals. Playing as a centre-forward, his remarkable goal-scoring feats spanned the 1970s and 1980s, where he starred for clubs like AS Monaco and Reims, making him a legend in French football.

As of 2024, Dimitri Payet holds the record for the most assists in Ligue 1 history, with a total of 130 assists. The attacking midfielder achieved this milestone during his successful stints with several clubs, including Marseille and Lille.

Pierre Braine holds the record of being the oldest player in Ligue 1 history, aged almost 45 years in a Ligue 1 game in 1945.

At 15 years and 225 days, Kalman Gerencseri is the youngest player in Ligue 1 history. The Frenchman played for Lens against Monaco in a Ligue 1 game in 1960.

Notable players who have graced Ligue 1 include legends like Zinedine Zidane, George Weah, Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe.

Prominent managers in Ligue 1 include Arsene Wenger, Laurent Blanc, Carlo Ancelotti, Adi Hutter, Luis Enrique, etc.

The Orange Velodrome in Marseille is the largest stadium in Ligue 1, with a capacity of 67,394 spectators. Home to Marseille since 1937, it is renowned for its electric atmosphere and hosting significant football events in France.

Neymar is indeed the most expensive player in Ligue 1 history. His transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 was valued at a record €222 million, which remains the highest transfer fee ever paid for a player.