Erling Haaland has become the quickest player to reach 50 Champions League goals, after he scored the opener in Manchester City's 2-0 win over Napoli. The Norwegian reached the tally in just 49 games, easily surpassing Ruud van Nistelrooy's previous record. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid marksman reached his half-century in his first 62 appearances in the competition.
Manchester City opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over 10-man Napoli on Thursday. Despite dominating the ball in the early stages, the visitors quickly became content to sit in a low block, soaking up City pressure before looking to hit on the counter. After a long range effort from Tijani Reijnders stung the gloves of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Gianluigi Donnarumma was called into action to stop a Sam Beukema header from a Napoli corner.
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has been linked with a free transfer to Juventus at the end of the season. The Portuguese international could follow in the footsteps of his former team-mate Kevin De Bruyne, who joined Serie A side Napoli on a free transfer in the summer. However, Silva is keeping his options open, with the possibility of a return to Portugal also on the table, and has yet to make a decision on his future.
Gianluigi Donnarumma joked about not taking his mother to the Etihad Stadium for the Champions League opener against Napoli on Thursday. The Manchester City goalkeeper, who arrived at the end of the summer transfer window, revealed that his family members are big supporters of the current Serie A champions. However, he remains determined on helping his new team kick-off their continental campaign with a win.
Pep Guardiola has hinted he is surprised Manchester City are "apparently" not one of favourites to win this season's Champions League. City get their 2025-26 European campaign under way on Thursday evening when they play host to Serie A champions Napoli at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola has crushed talk that Abdukodir Khusanov could be Manchester City’s permanent right-back solution, despite the youngster’s heroic display in Sunday’s derby demolition of Manchester United. The Catalan manager admitted the Uzbekistan international has the tools to cover the role, but warned the brutal intensity of City’s fixture calendar makes it impossible for the 21-year-old to handle the job on a full-time basis.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed he shares an unlikely friendship with Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, which has even more unlikely origins. The journalist made contact with the striker when his career was in its infancy, and their bond grew stronger due to a shared passion away from matters on the pitch and in the rumour mill.
Gianluigi Donnarumma has paid tribute to "fantastic" Erling Haaland, revealing he has already built a strong relationship with his new Manchester City team-mate. The goalkeeper moved to City from Paris Saint-Germain in a £26 million (€30m/$35m) deal on transfer deadline day, replacing long-term No. 1 Ederson after the Brazil international joined Fenerbahce.
Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has been directly linked to the Barcagate scandal after police uncovered WhatsApp messages showing he monitored a paid social media campaign designed to attack rivals and even Pep Guardiola. Investigators allege Bartomeu concealed contracts, manipulated polls, and used fake accounts to boost his image before the 2021 elections.
Gianluigi Donnarumma says moving to Manchester City was his "only option" despite being linked with Manchester United this summer. The goalkeeper went from being a vital player at Paris Saint-Germain to a Luis Enrique outcast in a matter of months. Now he is with Pep Guardiola's team, the Italian feels he has been at the Etihad for "many years" already.
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.
"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'.
GOAL looks ahead to the sensational Champions League clash between Manchester City and Italian champions Napoli as Kevin De Bruyne returns to the Etihad.
Former Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has stated that big clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain will have learned their lesson in the new Champions League format after their shaky performances at the start of last season. The German legend believes the top clubs have learned that they must attempt to dominate the competition from the very first round.
Manchester City have shockingly been branded an “amateur team” by Premier League cult hero Paolo di Canio. The ex-West Ham star believes that another of his former clubs, Serie A title holders Napoli, are capable of claiming a notable scalp when heading to the Etihad Stadium for an intriguing opening clash in their 2025-26 Champions League campaign.
Erling Haaland has reportedly become an “obsession” for Joan Laporta, with Barcelona’s president confident that the Norwegian striker can be prised away from Manchester City. The Blaugrana will find themselves in the market for a new No.9 during the summer of 2026 as prolific Polish frontman Roberto Lewandowski is seeing his contract run down towards free agency.
'The Chaaaaampions'. That's right - the most famous anthem in world football is set to ring out around Europe yet again as the 2025-26 Champions League season gets under way this week. Thirty-six teams are vying it out to lift the European Cup in Budapest on May 30, but can any of them take Paris Saint-Germain's crown away from them?
A Paris Saint-Germain figurehead has appeared to aim a subtle dig at former goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma following his summer move to Manchester City. PSG football advisor Luis Campos has suggested that the Italian's salary demands were beyond their wage "policy" and that nobody is bigger than the club.
Manchester United's players are reportedly 'losing confidence' in Ruben Amorim's tactical setup after their drubbing at the hands of Manchester City. This comes after the Red Devils head coach said he would rather be sacked than change his philosophy.
Erling Haaland was back to his very best as the striker led Manchester City to a thumping derby win over Manchester United on Sunday. The Norwegian made yet more history, becoming the joint-top scorer in the fixture as well as the fastest player to reach 90 Premier League goals. And a beaming Pep Guardiola declared that Haaland was in the best form of his career.
Manchester City are ready to rival Liverpool for potential free agent Marc Guehi next summer. The Reds agreed a deal to sign the Crystal Palace centre-back in the summer but the move collapsed on deadline day as the Eagles pulled the plug at the eleventh hour. Now, the Reds face intense competition for his signature, with his contract expiring.
Manchester United legend Roy Keane pointed out a key concern in the wake of the Red Devils' abysmal derby defeat against Manchester City on Sunday. Erling Haaland scored a brace, while Jeremy Doku provided two assists as Pep Guardiola's side returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a morale-boosting 3-0 victory over their rivals at home.
Wayne Rooney has revealed the reaction of a group of assembled legends to Manchester United's 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City. Ruben Amorim's side were smashed at the Etihad, with Rooney watching on alongside ex-United team-mates Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Carrick.
Manchester City
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
