Kevin De Bruyne’s first outing in a Napoli shirt ended in unexpected disappointment as the Serie A giants fell to a 2-0 loss against third-tier side Arezzo in pre-season. Despite the shock result, the Belgian star struck a positive tone on social media, calling the match 'some good minutes' as Gli Azzurri prepare to defend their Scudetto title in the 2025/26 season.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provided an injury update on Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber after the defensive pair missed the Gunners' pre-season win over AC Milan. Bukayo Saka's second-half goal sealed the victory in the friendly fixture as the North London side continue to fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming Premier League season.
Barcelona have officially announced the cancellation of their pre-season friendly against Japanese club Vissel Kobe, which was scheduled to take place this Sunday, July 27. The Catalan giants were set to fly out to Japan on Thursday morning at 11am local time, but that plan has now been abandoned following what the club has described as a “serious contractual breach” by the promoter responsible for organising the fixture.
Arsenal kicked off their summer tour with a 1-0 triumph over AC Milan in a tightly-contested friendly held at the National Stadium in Singapore. The encounter, which marked the first pre-season fixture for both clubs, saw Bukayo Saka net the only goal of the game, giving Mikel Arteta’s side an early boost in their preparations for the upcoming campaign. However, the game still went to a penalty shootout.
Manchester United have flown to the United States to begin their Premier League Summer Series campaign, but one notable name is missing from the travelling squad, Harry Maguire. The England international has not joined his teammates on the flight to Chicago due to a "personal matter", per multiple reports.
Federico Chiesa has not been included in Liverpool’s 29-man squad for their pre-season tour of Asia, raising fresh questions about his future at Anfield. The Italy international, who struggled to break into Arne Slot’s plans last season, was a surprise omission despite scoring in a 5-0 friendly win over Stoke City just hours before the squad departed.
The friendly match between Manchester United and Leeds United may have ended without goals, but one unexpected guest provided plenty of entertainment off the pitch. Hollywood actor and comedian Will Ferrell was spotted in the stands during the pre-season clash in Stockholm on Saturday afternoon, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd with a humorous and heartfelt gesture.
Wrexham have confirmed the arrival of New Zealand international Liberato Cacace, who has committed to a three-year contract that will keep him at the club until 2028. The 24-year-old left-back becomes the latest addition to Phil Parkinson’s squad as the club builds toward a historic campaign in the EFL Championship.