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Atletico Madrid suffered a defeat against Liverpool in their Champions League opener at Anfield, but Diego Simeone's side saw encouraging signs from Julian Alvarez. Former Spain goalkeeper Santiago Canizares believes the Argentine striker's impressive display represents a major positive despite the loss.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has finally broken his silence on the club's unsuccessful and controversial pursuit of Julian Alvarez. The Blaugrana chief addressed the breakdown in negotiations with Atletico Madrid and dismissed allegations that the Catalan giants acted unprofessionally in their quest for the Argentine international.

The veteran goalscorer steals the spotlight with his new roles

The Blaugrana sporting director returns to the failed negotiations for the Atlético Madrid Argentine player

Rodrigo De Paul and Robert Lewandowski engaged in a furious late bust-up as Inter Miami and Chicago Fire played out a dramatic 1-1 draw in MLS. The Argentine midfielder brutally taunted the Polish striker about his international trophy haul, sparking a mass brawl between the two sides.

Gabriel Jesus enjoyed a memorable home debut for Barcelona, marking his Camp Nou bow with a goal in a 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord. The former Arsenal forward matched Brazilian icon Rivaldo's record in Europe's elite competition after netting just minutes after coming off the bench. After the match, the 29-year-old opened up about the emotion of fulfilling a lifelong dream in front of a packed stadium.

Pedro Neto and Valentin Barco expressed delight after Chelsea scored six second-half goals to secure a wild 6-3 comeback win over Leeds United. The duo praised Xabi Alonso's impactful halftime changes as the Blues booked their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round.

Alexander Isak has benefited from the injury-enforced absence of Hugo Ekitike at Liverpool, with Jermaine Pennant explaining to GOAL what Andoni Iraola is likely to do when both big-money forwards are fit and firing. Questions have been asked of Isak’s contribution to the collective cause, with a £125 million ($169m) price tag hanging around his neck, but the Swedish striker is too good to be “sitting on your bench”.

Italy legend Alessandro Del Piero has heaped praise on Arsenal following their impressive Champions League victory over Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The former Juventus star believes Mikel Arteta's side were a class above their Italian opponents, singling out Martin Odegaard for his standout performance.

Carlo Ancelotti vs Thiago Silva has become the central talking point in Brazilian football following a public clash over squad selection. While Silva questioned whether you can simply get rid of everyone, Ancelotti insisted he does not look at age when building for the future.

Milan, Gabbia has returned to training with the group: he is heading towards a call-up for the trip to Rome against Lazio

Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has lifted the lid on the club's failed pursuits of two of Europe's most exciting wingers during the summer transfer window. The Bundesliga giants were forced to watch from the sidelines as Bradley Barcola secured a blockbuster move to Liverpool, while Anthony Gordon opted for a switch to Catalonia with Barcelona.

The all-time top scorer in football does not stop working

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo has been ruled out of the match against Atletico after suffering adductor niggles in his previous outing. Head coach Andoni Iraola cannot guarantee the in-form attacker will recover in time for Saturday's crucial league fixture against Fulham at Anfield.

Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne has conceded that Arsenal may now be the best team in world football following their Champions League victory over Napoli. The Belgian midfielder was on the receiving end of a dominant Gunners performance as Mikel Arteta’s side continued their perfect start to the new campaign.

Bryan Mbeumo reflected on his remarkable rise from French second-tier football to preparing for his Champions League debut with Manchester United. The forward insisted his decision to move to Old Trafford was fully justified as he targets European success.

Michael Carrick insisted Manchester United are back where they belong as they prepare to host Sabah in their Champions League opener. The head coach provided crucial squad updates on Luke Shaw, Matthijs de Ligt, and Benjamin Sesko while sharing a light-hearted moment with Bryan Mbeumo.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has heaped praise on Xabi Alonso’s decision to sign Danny Welbeck following Chelsea’s thrilling Carabao Cup comeback against Leeds United. The veteran striker netted twice in a dramatic 6-3 victory, proving he still has plenty to offer the Blues both on and off the pitch.

Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri has lauded Mikel Arteta's Arsenal as one of Europe's elite following a narrow Champions League defeat at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Despite remaining resolute for much of the contest, the Italian manager conceded his struggling side ultimately had no answer to the visitors' quality.

Numerous gaps afflict Al-Alami

Mikel Arteta was left absolutely furious with three of his players during Arsenal's Champions League victory over Napoli. Despite dominating the match and securing the win, the manager directed his anger at Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, and Christos Tzolis for their defensive efforts.

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has taken full responsibility for a disjointed performance that saw his side fall two goals behind against Leeds United before rallying for a remarkable Carabao Cup victory. The Blues boss admitted he made life "too difficult" for his rotated squad after making nine changes for the midweek clash at Stamford Bridge.

Ermedin Demirovic stole the show with a sensational first-half hat-trick as VfB Stuttgart kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win over Viking FK. Despite his match-winning heroics on the club's 133rd anniversary, the Bosnian striker insisted improvements are still needed.

Luis Suarez and Sergi Altimira reacted with delight after Sporting CP recovered from an early setback to beat Galatasaray 3-1 in their Champions League opener. The victory was capped by Rodrigo Zalazar's stunning free-kick on a hostile Alvalade return for Rafael Leao.

Thomas Frank impressed many Premier League observers at Brentford, but then suffered a 38-game flop as head coach of Tottenham. He has been out of work since severing ties with Spurs, but Clinton Morrison has explained to GOAL why the Danish tactician’s reputation has not been tarnished. He is expected to return to the dugout at some point in the not too distant future.

Chelsea survived a massive scare in the Carabao Cup third round as they roared back from two goals down to secure a chaotic 6-3 victory over Leeds. Despite providing three crucial assists off the bench to orchestrate the revival, £117 million signing Morgan Rogers watched his close friend Cole Palmer walk away with the Player of the Match accolade. The playmaker playfully slammed the decision as 'criminal', sparking a hilarious post-match exchange between the team-mates.

Rasmus Hojlund has heaped praise on Arsenal's formidable defensive unit following Napoli's narrow Champions League defeat in north London. The former Manchester United striker lauded Gabriel Magalhaes as the team's vital anchor while expressing his admiration for Mikel Arteta's impressive squad depth amid defensive absences.