Jose Mourinho revealed that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez sent a message to him upon his return to Benfica. The Portuguese head coach said that his former boss told him he was happy to see him return "to a club of your calibre", reminding fans once again of the mutual love and admiration shared between the two men.
Victor Osimhen fired Galatasaray to a stunning 1-0 Champions League win over Liverpool and declared the Turkish giants “the best team in the world” after the final whistle. The Nigeria striker’s first-half penalty settled a raucous contest in Istanbul, piling pressure on Arne Slot after back-to-back defeats for the Premier League champions.
Lionel Messi has been sent a retirement warning with his Inter Miami contract renewal yet to be confirmed. Messi’s future has been the subject of much speculation after it emerged that his first Inter Miami deal does not include a player option beyond 2025. The 38-year-old attacker, who initially signed with Miami in July 2023, will become a free agent in November unless fresh terms are hammered out.
Paul Pogba’s much-awaited return to football is finally getting close. Ahead Monaco's Champions League clash against Manchester City, manager Adi Hutter has revealed the midfielder could make his debut for the club after the international break. It has been over two years since the Frenchman last played a senior match.
A difficult night in the Champions League for Liverpool was compounded by a tongue-in-cheek social media post from Galatasaray, using the Reds' famous anthem You'll Never Walk Alone against them. Arne Slot's side lost 1-0 on the evening, making it back-to-back defeats following the 2-1 reversal at Crystal Palace in the Premier League last weekend.
Inter chairman Giuseppe Marotta has cast a bleak verdict on Serie A’s pulling power, admitting that Kylian Mbappe is out of reach for Italian clubs and hailing Luka Modric as the league’s only “champion” at 40 years old. Speaking right before Inter’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague, Marotta praised his club’s progress but underlined the financial gulf separating Serie A from Europe’s elite.
Every month, GOAL brings you the top stories involving teenage wonderkids and the world's best young footballers. During September, there was plenty to be said about the likes of Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid's Franco Mastantuono, but there were also plenty of other headlines made by the planet's emerging stars in both the men's and women's games.
TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods reacted to being "pied" by Jose Mourinho on live TV after Benfica suffered a 1-0 Champions League defeat to Chelsea. The visitors were undone by a cruel own goal from Richard Ríos in the 18th minute of the game, and for Mourinho, it marked yet another frustrating return to Stamford Bridge.
Antoine Griezmann created history for Atletico Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League during their 5-1 drubbing of Eintracht Frankfurt. After the game, head coach Diego Simeone was delighted with his performance and reserved special praise for the former France international. The Argentine expressed his gratitude to Griezmann and said that "talent has no age."
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was at his brilliant best in Marseille’s 4-0 Champions League win over Ajax on Tuesday, but it was his simple act of humility that impressed Roberto De Zerbi as his 'new-spirited' team rounded off a perfect week. The veteran ran the show as the French side ran rampant with their third straight win since they opened their Champions League campaign with a defeat to Real Madrid.
Mikel Arteta opened up on Viktor Gyokeres' lean patch of form after the Arsenal striker fired another blank against Newcastle United. The Swede, who joined the Gunners from Sporting CP this summer, has netted only three goals in eight appearances across all competitions, and Sunday’s clash saw him stifled by the Magpies' rugged defence.
Kylian Mbappe bagged himself a hat-trick in the Champions League and became the third quickest to reach 60 goals in Europe's premier competition, which puts him on course to beat Cristiano Ronaldo's incredible record tally. The Real Madrid superstar reached the landmark in just 89 games, courtesy of a treble against Kairat, while it took Ronaldo 98 games to reach the same number. And the France international is the second youngest to hit 60 goals, beaten by a matter of days, by Lionel Messi.
Manuel Neuer was left helpless as Mislav Orsic fired a spectacular strike past him during Bayern Munich’s 5-1 Champions League win over Pafos. The veteran goalkeeper later offered a cheeky explanation in a lively exchange with a reporter, insisting there was little he could do to stop the goal, while, Bayern’s stars Harry Kane and Michael Olise shone once again in a dominant performance.
Jose Mourinho was grateful for the warm reception he received from Chelsea fans but made it clear that it was no consolation after Benfica's Champions League defeat at Stamford Bridge. The Portuguese walked back into the stadium that made him a legend and was met with a roar only reserved for serial champions. But while the love was loud, the night was cruel for Benfica.
Bayern Munich extended their winning streak to nine with a 5-1 Champions League win over Pafos on Tuesday. While many have been surprised by the German giants’ form under Vincent Kompany, midfielder and team captain Joshua Kimmich insists it is no accident.
Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has lavished praise on his players after they hammered Ajax 4-0 in the Champions League clash at the Orange Velodrome. Mason Greenwood was on the scoresheet once again and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang provided a couple of assists and bagged a goal himself, but Igor Paixao grabbed the headlines with a quick-fire first-half double to get the ball rolling for the French giants. After the match, former Brighton manager De Zerbi described his team's performance as "perfect".
Michael Olise, one of the most dangerous attackers in Europe at the moment, has found himself high on the list of transfer priorities for clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, who are willing to splash over €100 million to sign the Frenchman. Bayern Munich, however, are absolutely determined to keep hold of their star player and have already started internal discussions over his renewal.
Nicolas Jackson opened his Bayern Munich account in style, scoring and assisting in a 5-1 Champions League win over Pafos. The Chelsea loanee called it a “new start” after a difficult spell on the sidelines and says he’s “slowly” getting back to his best. With Harry Kane continuing his prolific run, Bayern look unstoppable ahead of their Bundesliga clash with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Harry Kane opened up on his relationship with Nicolas Jackson after Bayern Munich's Champions League rout of Pafos. The Bavarians unleashed a merciless storm in Cyprus, tearing apart Pafos with a crushing 5-1 continental triumph. Kane bagged a brace, Raphael Guerreiro and Michael Olise also chipped in, and Jackson grabbed his first goal since arriving from Chelsea in the summer window.
Bernardo Silva has revealed that he knows "exactly" where he will play next summer with his Manchester City contract expiring in less than a year. The Portuguese midfielder last signed a renewal in 2023 and has often been linked with a departure in the past few years. Silva is now expected to call curtains on his illustrious City career, following other legends who departed in the past year.
Josh Windass revealed a gruesome injury to his social media followers after coming off early in Wrexham's Championship draw with Leicester City. The Foxes went ahead in the first half through Jordan James’ and held onto their lead until the 77th minute. However, nerves and wastefulness opened the door for Wrexham, with Nathan Broadhead grabbing a late equaliser at the King Power Stadium.
Barcelona’s summer transfer window had its fair share of drama and speculation, with Manchester City reportedly showing interest in Jules Kounde. The French defender was on Pep Guardiola’s radar after a successful season with the Blaugrana, but sporting director Deco has now explained why the story never went any further.
Benfica boss Jose Mourinho made an astonishing intervention during the Champions League clash with Chelsea after Portuguese fans started hurling objects towards Enzo Fernandes. Mourinho stepped in as drinks bottles rained down from the away section in the Shed End, pleading with his supporters to behave as they vented their fury at their former player, who left Benfica in controversial circumstances back in January 2023.
Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat-trick as Real Madrid cruised to a 5-0 Champions League win over Kairat Almaty, bouncing back from their derby defeat to Atletico. Xabi Alonso hailed the Frenchman as “decisive in every game” while stressing that Vinicius Jr. and Arda Guler are still “catching up” to his rare pace as Madrid’s new front line begins to click at European level.
Alejandro Garnacho broke his silence on his bitter Manchester United exit after an impressive performance for Chelsea during their Champions League win over Benfica. The Argentine winger shone under the lights of Stamford Bridge as Chelsea edged past Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League. His dangerous cross forced Richard Rios into an own goal, sealing a priceless 1-0 win for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Wednesday's Champions League clash between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain should have immediately seen the top two players in the 2025 Ballon d'Or vote squaring off against one another. However, while Lamine Yamal has returned to full fitness just in time for the game at Montjuic, Ousmane Dembele will remain sidelined for at least another couple of weeks.
It was only a few months ago that Phil Foden was so worn out physically and mentally that he asked not to be selected by England. Now he is putting his hand up to play games that he wouldn’t normally be considered for. The fire within him that almost burned out is raging again and he has rekindled Manchester City’s fortunes, fuelling their impressive return to form from their worst start to a season in 20 years.
Javier Mascherano took responsibility after Inter Miami turned in one of their worst performances of the season at Chase Stadium, falling 5-3 to the Chicago Fire. The setback leaves the Herons in a precarious spot in the Supporters’ Shield race - they sit fourth in the Eastern Conference with 56 points, seven behind leaders Philadelphia Union.
The Chicago Fire are returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, but Inter Miami won't be thrilled the visitors' postseason ticket came at their expense in a 5-3 defeat at home. Luis Suarez rolled back the years with two goals, but his brilliance wasn’t enough to cover for the Herons’ season-long defensive frailties, as they shipped three before halftime.
Greg Vanney knows LA Galaxy’s season has been a disappointment, with the reigning MLS champions bottom of the Western Conference and out of the playoffs. But on Wednesday at Dignity Health Sports Park, the Campeones Cup final against Toluca offers a chance to salvage something meaningful, with Vanney viewing a trophy as a vital boost for his players and the club.