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Youth football is in Pep Guardiola's blood. He emerged from Barcelona's famed La Masia academy and then took his first steps as a coach after being appointed manager of the Catalans' B team all the way back in 2007. When he became first-team coach at Camp Nou one year later, he promoted the likes of Sergio Busquets and Pedro, plus the returning Gerard Pique, as Barca swept to the treble in style.

Lionel Messi scored two goals, and Inter Miami took advantage of an admittedly sloppy Nashville SC to earn a 3-1 win and take a 1-0 lead in the first round of their MLS playoff series. The Argentine was short of his best, but opportunistic at the right moments, and the Herons' only real gripe can be that they didn't keep a clean sheet in their pursuit of an evasive MLS Cup.

Lionel Messi this week signed a three-year extension to stay with Inter Miami through 2028, and the Argentine says a major factor was the lifestyle in Florida. In addition to his family enjoying living in Miami, Messi told NBC Nightly News that he evaluated his mental and physical health and ultimately, the decision to remain in MLS was "easy."

Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler has revealed tough love has been the key to helping Carlos Baleba return to form ahead of Saturday’s clash with Manchester United. The Cameroon international was wanted by the Red Devils in the summer, but they opted to walk away from discussions after learning the south coast club's valuation of the midfielder.

After fielding a group of teenagers in their Champions League clash against Ajax earlier this week, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is now seemingly set to hand a 15-year-old youth player his senior debut. Resting most of their first-team stars in the European clash, Maresca banked on the youth and they did not disappoint the coach as the Blues registered a thumping 5-1 win over the Dutch giants.

Manchester City are reportedly monitoring the progress of highly-rated Koln forward Said El Mala but face stiff competition for his signature from a number of European heavyweights. The 19-year-old has been in fine form for the Bundesliga side in 2025-26, leading to several members of Europe’s elite to register their interest in signing the winger.

Brenden Aaronson netted his first Premier League goal of the season on Friday as he scored just three minutes into Leeds United's clash with West Ham. It marked Aaronson's second career Premier League goal, with his first coming all the way back in 2022 against Chelsea. The goal was a scrappy one as Aaronson put himself into the right place at the right time.

Sheffield Wednesday have been placed under administration and have been docked 12 points by the EFL, bringing Dephjon Chansiri's ruinous ownership to an end at Hillsborough. The Owls have made a nightmare start to their 2025-26 campaign as they have won just one out of their first 11 league games and are currently placed at the bottom of the Championship. With 12 points gone, their current tally now stands at -6.

Mic'd Up: The former Real Madrid star discussed El Clasico and why it's 'mad to be having a discussion about Jude Bellingham'

Frank Lampard’s plans for allowing Patrick Bamford to train at high-flying Coventry City have now been explained. The England international was spotted at the club's training ground after being released by Premier League side Leeds United in the summer, fuelling speculation that the striker could earn a contract with the Championship leaders.

U.S. international Cameron Carter-Vickers will miss three to five months after sustaining an Achilles injury, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said on Friday. The injury is believed to have occurred Thursday in a Europa League match against Sturm Graz. The injury could jeopardize Carter-Vickers' changes of making the USMNT World Cup roster.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has instructed his players to adapt to dealing with "long balls" as the Reds aim to end their dismal run of form in the 2025-26 campaign. The reigning champions have lost their last three Premier League games against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Manchester United, as they have dropped to third position in the league table.

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, including Pepi and PSV riding stunning a Champions League win

Ruben Amorim has urged his Manchester United players to keep their feet on the ground despite the momentous 2-1 victory over Liverpool. The Red Devils are in great spirits following their long-awaited victory at Anfield, but the Portuguese has called on his squad to remain calm as they look to make it three Premier League wins in a row against Brighton on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola gave a tongue-in-cheek response when discussing the ever-changing narrative surrounding the Premier League title race, joking Liverpool are now “done” following their recent run of poor form. The Manchester City manager delivered the wry take when recalling how his side were written off following a start to the season which saw them lose two of their opening three games.

Bruno Fernandes spoke highly of Manchester United's summer transfer business, while reserving special praise for Brazilian attacker Matheus Cunha, who moved to United from Wolves in the last window. Fernandes, being the leader of the pack at Old Trafford, named the unique qualities of each of United's new four signings as the club spent heavily to rebuild the squad under Ruben Amorim.

GOAL US writers discuss the biggest USMNT developments as Mauricio Pochettino continues the build up to 2026 World Cup

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta provided a worrying update on star defender Gabriel's condition as the Gunners prepare for their upcoming Crystal Palace test in the Premier League. The Brazilian centre-back, who has been in red-hot form since the start of the season, was forced to leave the pitch in the second half in the club's 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League earlier this week.

The home defeat by Aston Villa and a dire performance away at Monaco means the clash with Everton has taken on significant importance for Tottenham. And the Spurs boss Thomas Frank has identified the player who is most likely to pull the strings for the hosts as the visitors look for their first win at Everton since back in 2018.

Eddie Howe stopped short of getting embroiled in a war of words with Arne Slot after the Liverpool boss labelled Newcastle a “smaller club” when questioning their handling of Alexander Isak. The striker was in the process of regaining his match fitness following his British record transfer in the summer, before sustaining a groin injury in the Reds' victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.

Once a young star and now a veteran leader, Lavelle continues to play a key role as the next generation of U.S. players develops

Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's latest rant against the club's academy has left the Red Devils schoolboys and parents 'bemused'. Ratcliffe has taken a ruthless approach since buying stakes at the Premier League club in 2024. He has let go of hundreds of staff in a major job-cutting drive in a bid to tackle the club's financial condition.

Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho cited the likes of Scott McTominay and Raphael Varane as proof of his "history" of working with young players and developing them into great sportsmen. The Special One, in a press conference on Friday, claimed that Benfica "will surely add one or two players who can help strengthen the squad", before adding that "if there's someone who likes to promote young players, I'm one of them."

A selection debate is brewing for Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim ahead of the Brighton match, following a controversial call to drop wing-back Diogo Dalot. Dalot was part of the starting line-up in the recent back-to-back victories, including the impressive 2-1 win against Liverpool. But a United legend has urged the Portuguese boss to make key changes this weekend.

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been told they should “fear” in-form Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as the Premier League title race hots up. The Norway international has been in remarkable form for club and country in 2025-26, with one Premier League legend declaring he may just be in the midst of one of the greatest individual seasons of all time.

Bruno Fernandes consulted the opinion of Cristiano Ronaldo when he was weighing up the possibility of leaving Manchester United to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia over the summer. The United captain revealed that he spoke to his Portugal team-mate when the lucrative offer came in but rejected it after discussing it with his family and coach Ruben Amorim.

The famous Newcastle badge is undergoing a major redesign, which is scheduled to adorn club kits and training apparel within the next couple of years. The updated designs, which some see as a controversial and unnecessary change, have been shown to club chiefs and won’t be signed off without fan approval.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are set to renew their rivalry ahead of Sunday's monumental El Clasico clash at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ronald Araujo, expected to start for the Catalans in defence, was lavish in his praise for Vinicius Junior and credited the Brazilian for bringing "the best out of me". The duo's matchup has been one of the themes of Madrid and Barca's encounters over the past few seasons.

Tottenham Hotspur star Pedro Porro was left disappointed after the club's second consecutive draw in the Champions League against AS Monaco this Wednesday, as he revealed that he called out his team-mates for a poor show, while warning them against making the situation worse in Europe. Porro has been a regular starter at the Premier League club under new manager Thomas Frank.