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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Manchester United legend Michael Carrick has taken up a new job just three months after parting ways with Middlesbrough. The Riverside club sacked Carrick at the end of the 2024-25 campaign after a 10th-placed finish in the Championship. The ex-United midfielder was initially appointed in 2022 and earned praise for his initial impact but Middlesbrough decided to make a change after failing to make the play-offs in each of the last two seasons.
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 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.
Newcastle United have officially confirmed to the Premier League that the capacity of St James' Park has been expanded, but only by a very small number of seats since the start of last season. The underwhelming news has caused more frustration for fans and led to questions about the club’s progress on plans to increase capacity to 65,000 either through renovation or a new stadium.
Everton's summer signing Jack Grealish has been accused of "overplaying" for the Toffees since moving to the club on a season-long loan from Manchester City. The midfielder was named the Premier League's Player of the Month for August but has been warned that manager David Moyes may want a word with him about his performances.
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."
It’s well-known at this point that despite winning back-to-back European Championship titles and reaching a World Cup final in between, England’s Lionesses have a problem at left-back. There’s a real lack of options for Sarina Wiegman in the position and shoehorning players into it hasn’t helped much either - leaving many wondering just what Gabby George has to do to get her chance.
After knocking Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup last month, Grimsby Town have pulled off another major upset to reach the fourth round for the first time in 24 years. The League Two club stunned Championship side Sheffield Wednesday as they clinched their third-round clash 1-0 courtesy of Jaze Kabia's 49th-minute goal.
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.
Manchester United have reportedly come up with a shortlist of five potential successors to replace under-pressure boss Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as a candidate for the job, along with Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner, former England coach Gareth Southgate, Fulham's Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth.
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.
"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'.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano welcomed a bounceback 3-1 win over the Seattle Sounders after back-to-back shutout defeats, with Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba each producing a goal and an assist while Rodrigo De Paul impressed. Still, Mascherano admitted the squad lacks depth amid absences and missed signings, calling the last seven games ‘finals.’
Inter Miami had won just once in their last four games, but Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba made sure that skid didn’t extend, combining to lead an emphatic 3-1 win over the Seattle Sounders on Tuesday night. Billed as a Leagues Cup final rematch, the Herons looked intent on sending a message after being blanked in back-to-back games for the first time in Messi's tenure.
U.S. international Tim Weah scored his first club goal for Olympique de Marseille, a moment he hailed as a “dream” considering it happened at Real Madrid's famed Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. However, the winger acknowledged he wished the Marseille could have found a result in the Champions League match Tuesday, which they ultimately lost 2-1.
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.
AC Milan secured their second win of the Serie A season after a narrow 1-0 victory over Bologna. Mexican striker Santiago Giménez has yet to find the net for the Rossoneri, but head coach Massimiliano Allegri highlighted the forward’s contribution beyond goals. Milan now sit fifth on the Serie A table with six points.
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.
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.
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.