Soham Mukherjee

Bruno Fernandes was left stunned as Marcus Rashford scored a screamer against Newcastle. The English forward delivered a Champions League masterclass in Barcelona colours, leaving even his Manchester United teammates in awe. The on-loan forward silenced St James’ Park with two goals of pure class as the Spanish champions edged the Magpies in a dramatic European opener.

Barcelona’s return to their spiritual home has been pushed back yet again, with the club confirming that their Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain on October 1 will take place at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuic. The Camp Nou, which has been undergoing a massive €1.5 billion facelift since June 2023, remains off-limits. Hopes of reopening in time for the new campaign have collapsed, leaving the Catalan giants scrambling for alternative venues.

Barcelona are reportedly keeping tabs on Dusan Vlahovic ahead of his contract expiry as the Catalan side eye him as Robert Lewandowski's potential successor. The Blaugrana are desperate to find a long-term replacement for their Polish goal machine, whose deal runs out next summer, and the Serbian sharpshooter has become an option.

Strasbourg president Marc Keller has come out swinging after furious supporters turned on him and club captain Emanuel Emegha in the wake of the striker’s confirmed transfer to Chelsea. The fallout reached boiling point when fan groups unfurled hostile banners aimed at both men, sparking a fiery response from Keller during an emergency press conference on Thursday.

Mykhailo Mudryk’s career has been thrown into turmoil, but his old club Shakhtar Donetsk have come out swinging in his defence. The Ukrainian winger, slapped with a provisional suspension in December 2024 after testing positive for meldonium, now faces an official doping charge from The FA. Despite the storm, Shakhtar’s sporting director Dario Srna insists the 24-year-old is “completely innocent” and deserves full support.

Feyenoord supremo Dennis te Kloese has held his hands up and confessed, waving goodbye to Arne Slot was the worst decision he could have made. The Dutch coach, who was lured to Anfield last summer to replace Jurgen Klopp, has transformed Liverpool into a machine once again, storming to the Premier League crown last season and starting the new campaign with a flawless record.

West Ham are reportedly eyeing a deal to appoint Gary O'Neil amid Graham Potter's disastrous start to the season as the Hammers consider an emotional return for their former midfielder. The pressure cooker at West Ham has finally hit full steam. A humiliating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham has left Graham Potter’s reign dangling by a thread, and the board are now seriously weighing up a change in the dugout.

A fresh look at women's football in Football Manager 26 has been unveiled as Sports Interactive revealed the biggest female database in gaming. After years of promises, setbacks, and cancelled editions, the studio has confirmed that from November 4, players can step into the dugout of legendary women’s teams across the globe. This isn’t a token gesture. This is the largest-ever women’s football database in gaming, spanning continents, leagues, and thousands of players.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher tore into Chelsea and claimed the Blues "can't pretend" that the Todd Boehly era has been a success after they spent £2bn to win only the Conference League and the Club World Cup. Since Boehly’s consortium took control at Stamford Bridge, the Blues have been trying to rebuild a squad that was once one of Europe's finest. However, after an eye-watering spend, Chelsea find themselves on the outside looking in at the Premier League’s top dogs.

Mohamed Salah created history as Liverpool's Egyptian King broke a unique record during the Reds' dramatic Champions League win against Atletico Madrid. Liverpool, who have yet to click with a number of new signings in the squad, earned another late victory on a pulsating night at Anfield. Against Atletico, the Reds ripped into gear from the first whistle, silencing doubters with a blistering two-goal blitz inside the opening six minutes.

Cristiano Ronaldo may have sat this one out, but Al-Nassr showed they are far more than just a one-man show. On opening night of the AFC Champions League, the Saudi powerhouse dismantled Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol with a ruthless 5-0 win at Al Awwal Park. The absence of their talismanic forward barely registered, as Jorge Jesus’ side showcased their attacking firepower with five different players getting on the scoresheet.

Bruno Guimaraes has called for Newcastle to avoid the heartbreak of losing key players like Alexander Isak in the future, following the £125 million sale of the Swedish striker to Liverpool this summer. Speaking ahead of Newcastle’s Champions League clash with Barcelona, the Brazilian star and Magpies captain made it clear that the dressing room does not want to see any more prized assets depart St James' Park.

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has delivered a fiery warning to Barcelona ahead of their Champions League opener, insisting the Spanish heavyweights won’t find life easy at St James’ Park. The Magpies icon, speaking ahead of Thursday night’s clash, believes his old club are more than capable of denting Barca’s campaign and snatching vital points on home soil.

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.

Jose Mourinho has been told to "accept" that "his career is over" as the former Chelsea & Manchester United boss nears a surprise return to Benfica. The 62-year-old tactician, coming off an ill-fated stint at Fenerbahce, is reportedly in advanced talks to take charge at the Portuguese giants once again. However, some fans aren't buying the comeback story.

Monaco's Champions League journey began in chaos after their flight to Bruges descended into scenes straight out of a comedy sketch. With the air conditioning system completely out, Paul Pogba's teammates were forced to take off their clothes and sit in nothing but underwear as the cabin transformed into a sweltering sauna.

Former Manchester United defender Phil Jones was honoured at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium after he completed his sport directorship degree in a bid to start a new career. Jones only retired last year after so much time spent battling injury setbacks, walking away from playing with just five senior appearances in his final four seasons. Now, instead of marshalling defences, he's plotting moves from the boardroom.

Alexia Putellas has reportedly made a decision on her future after Paris Saint-Germain expressed their desire to trigger the €1.1m release clause in her Barcelona contract. Not only were they prepared to meet the buyout, but reports suggested they were also lining up a salary package far greater than what she currently earns in Catalunya.