Peter McVitie

Real Madrid have suffered a massive blow ahead of the Spanish Super Cup as Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out of the entire tournament with a knee injury. The French superstar will not travel to Saudi Arabia as the club adopts a 'zero risk' policy, though there is a major boost for Xabi Alonso with Trent Alexander-Arnold returning to the squad after injury.

Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl caused a stir this weekend by admitting his ultimate career dream is to join Real Madrid, despite currently developing at the Allianz Arena. While such comments often irritate the Bavarian faithful, club legend Lothar Matthaus has surprisingly defended the 17-year-old, drawing parallels with Robert Lewandowski and Florian Wirtz while revealing his own failed move to the Bernabeu.

Enzo Maresca has finally broken his silence following his shock departure from Chelsea, delivering a dignified message to supporters just hours after his successor was confirmed. Despite guiding the club to Club World Cup success, the Italian has been ruthlessly cut adrift. As Liam Rosenior steps into the west London pressure cooker, Maresca insists he leaves with "inner peace", having restored the team to their rightful status amidst the chaos.

Manchester City’s title defence has been plunged into chaos following a devastating triple injury blow that leaves Pep Guardiola with a threadbare defence. The City boss has confirmed that Ruben Dias will miss up to six weeks with a hamstring injury, while Josko Gvardiol is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a leg fracture. To compound matters, Guardiola admitted he has "no idea" when John Stones will return.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has offered his sympathy to Ruben Amorim following his sacking by Manchester United. The Catalan coach insisted that margins in the Premier League are incredibly fine and pointed to significant injury crises as key factors, while labelling the departing Portuguese boss as a 'top manager' who deserved more time to implement his process at Old Trafford.

The grieving family of Maddy Cusack have expressed their fury after the inquest into her tragic death was delayed yet again. Their lawyer accused Sheffield United of submitting a massive document just days before Christmas, making it impossible to proceed. The club strongly denies the claims, but the hearing has now been pushed back until June, prolonging the family's agony.

Gerard Pique was subjected to a ruthless prank by fans in Ceuta this weekend, with the Barcelona legend forced to endure Shakira’s brutal 'diss track' blasting from a passing car moments after watching his FC Andorra side slump to a painful defeat.

Explosive details regarding the final weeks of Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United have emerged, with reports revealing that the Portuguese coach and defender Lisandro Martinez "squared up" to one another during a heated training ground confrontation in December. The Argentine World Cup winner reportedly confronted his manager in an "intense" manner over a lack of playing time, though the incident ultimately earned him the captain's armband.

Liam Rosenior has been confirmed as the new manager of Chelsea, bringing an emotional end to his successful tenure at Strasbourg. The 41-year-old described the move to Stamford Bridge as an "honour" he simply could not refuse, citing the allure of the Club World Cup champions and a desperate desire to return home to his family.

Owen Hargreaves has called on Manchester United to reinstate Marcus Rashford to the first-team fold following the dramatic sacking of Ruben Amorim, insisting the exiled forward is a "special player" who was unfairly burdened with the club's struggles before being forced out to Barcelona.

Manchester United legend Nicky Butt has issued a furious ultimatum to the club's hierarchy, vowing to cancel his season tickets if they appoint Enzo Maresca as the next permanent manager. The 'Class of 92' icon believes the "City-fication" of the club's boardroom has already gone too far and insists he cannot stomach a former rival coach taking charge at Old Trafford following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.

Brazilian sensation Endrick has opened up about the heart-to-heart conversation with Carlo Ancelotti that led to his January loan move to Lyon. The teenager revealed the Brazil head coach urged him to seek regular minutes elsewhere to aid his development ahead of the 2026 World Cup, while he also explained why the Portuguese connection in France made the Ligue 1 giants the perfect destination.

Edu Gaspar is reportedly fighting to save his job at Nottingham Forest just months into his lucrative £3 million-a-year contract, with the former Arsenal director coming under intense scrutiny from ruthless owner Evangelos Marinakis. The Brazilian’s position is said to be hanging by a thread following a catastrophic breakdown in relations with former boss Nuno Espirito Santo and a disastrous transfer strategy that has left the club staring down the barrel of relegation.

Wrexham have officially confirmed the return of club legend Paul Mullin after his season-long loan spell at Wigan Athletic was cut short. The 31-year-old striker, who became a global icon during the club’s rise under Hollywood ownership, is available for selection immediately as Phil Parkinson looks to bolster his attacking options for the crucial run-in.

Thiago Silva has completed a sensational return to European football, signing a short-term deal with Porto at the age of 41. The Brazilian icon, who recently departed Fluminense following a mutual termination of his contract, touched down in the Invicta city on Sunday to finalise a move that sees him reunite with the club where his career almost ended tragically two decades ago.

Real Madrid have been offered the chance to sign Crystal Palace sensation Adam Wharton, but Los Blancos will face fierce competition for his signature. Premier League giants Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are all tracking the midfielder, who will reportedly cost at least €70 million and is demanding a huge salary to leave Selhurst Park.

Real Madrid have devised a fresh strategy to lure Rodri away from Manchester City, with the Spanish giants looking to capitalise on the midfielder's stalling contract talks. Los Blancos view the Ballon d'Or winner as the ultimate target to complete their midfield evolution at the Santiago Bernabeu, and startling reports from Spain suggest a blockbuster transfer offensive could be launched.

Ruben Amorim was fighting a losing battle with his own emotions long before the official announcement of his sacking by Manchester United on Monday morning. According to body language expert Darren Stanton, the Portuguese tactician exhibited clear signs of feeling "thrown under the bus" by the club hierarchy during his final, explosive press conference.