Marcus Rashford has been accused of "self-sabotage" after turning up late for a Barcelona team meeting. The 27-year-old scored a stunning brace against Newcastle United in the Champions League but was then dropped to the bench for the Getafe clash for his tardiness on the day of the game. Now, the Manchester United loanee has been criticised for his actions.
Lennart Karl has faced his first significant criticism after making his maiden Bundesliga start for Bayern Munich. The 17-year-old wonderkid's performance in Die Roten's 4-1 victory over Hoffenheim last Saturday raised a few eyebrows, particularly from former Bayern winger Mario Basler, who was not fully satisfied by Karl's outing as a starter under Vincent Kompany.
Antony sealed a permanent switch to Real Betis after a mixed spell at Manchester United, with Manuel Pellegrini confident the winger will rediscover his best form. The Brazilian thrived on loan last season and, despite a slow start to this campaign, his manager insists he will be “happy in every way” as Betis look to revive their season.
Getafe are closing in on signing former Leeds and Chelsea striker Patrick Bamford. The free agent was released from his contract by the Premier League side just a few days before the deadline day after falling out of coach Daniel Farke's plans and is reportedly set to travel to Spain to discuss a possible transfer.
Sam Surridge admits that it feels “surreal” to be involved in an MLS Golden Boot battle with Argentine GOAT Lionel Messi. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is maintaining remarkable individual standards at Inter Miami, but former Nottingham Forest striker Surridge is keeping pace with the South American superstar when it comes to prolific strike rates in 2025.
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has issued a mature statement after losing out to Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele in the Ballon d'Or race on Monday. The teenage attacker had a stellar 2024-25 campaign with Barca, but Dembele was ultimately crowned the best player on the planet after leading PSG to the treble.
Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso was effusive in his praise for left-back Alvaro Carreras, who was one of the four players to join Los Blancos over the summer. Arriving from Benfica, Carreras' impressive start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu has left his manager "pleasantly surprised", with the former Bayer Leverkusen head coach labelling the 22-year-old a "very complete" player.
Vinicius Jr’s Ballon d’Or nightmare worsened as Betis mocked the Real Madrid winger after he finished 16th in the 2025 rankings. The Brazilian had once promised to win the award “ten times if needed”, but those words were brutally echoed back at him online. Now, with Xabi Alonso limiting his role, pressure is mounting on the highly-rated attacker.
Benfica might expect a reunion between newly appointed manager Jose Mourinho and one of his former players at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema. While the former French international is currently playing for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League, his contract expires next year, and the club are ready to let him go if the Portuguese side pay a small transfer fee.
USMNT star Malik Tillman admits that he has to “do more” on the back of his €35 million (£31m/$41m) transfer to Bayer Leverkusen. The 23-year-old midfielder has opened his goal account for new employers, with his best position being explained, but acknowledges the need to deliver end product after being acquired by Bundesliga giants to provide a creative spark.
Manchester United have been urged to bring in former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate to "restructure the whole place" as pressure mounts on Ruben Amorim. United finished 15th in the Premier League under Amorim last season and he has only overseen two wins out of five at the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
Former Real Madrid footballer Alvaro Benito provided his thoughts on the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony, which saw Ousmane Dembele being crowned as the best player in the world, ahead of rival Lamine Yamal. While Benito admitted that the PSG forward deserved the award, he was unhappy about where Pedri finished in the rankings and was brutally critical of the journalists who vote.
Lionel Messi is in line for more Ballon d’Or recognition after seeing Inter Miami nominated for a new award. Paris Saint-Germain superstar Ousmane Dembele walked away with the Golden Ball in 2025, with the one-time Barcelona team-mate of Argentine icon Messi being named the best player on the planet. Several other prestigious prizes have been handed out.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has accused the Premier League of inflating the players' salaries and transfer fees. According to the 63-year-old, this affects the global market and other leagues including the Spanish top flight as well as he stressed the importance of "sustainability" across Europe's leagues.
Neymar has taken a clear swipe at France Football while raging over Raphinha's final Ballon d'Or position. The Brazil and Barcelona winger finished fifth in the final vote, while Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele scooped the main prize ahead of second placed Lamine Yamal. Raphinha played a key role for Barca alongside Yamal as they won three domestic titles last season.
Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal showed his lighter side after the Ballon d’Or gala by buying midnight hamburgers for team-mates and friends, while president Joan Laporta admitted he even tried pressing Ronaldinho and Andres Iniesta to reveal the winner. Yamal may have fallen short, but his Kopa Trophy joy kept spirits high as Ousmane Dembele took home the big prize instead.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca fears Liverpool may be “impossible to catch” after seeing the Reds invest £446 million ($603m) during the summer transfer window of 2025. Arne Slot’s side were already reigning Premier League champions and a faultless start has been made to the new season as domestic rivals worry about how to stage their own title challenges.
West Ham have reportedly made a call on Graham Potter's potential sacking amid links with former Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Slaven Bilic. The Hammers are sitting in the Premier League relegation zone after a nightmare start to the new season and have also exited the Carabao Cup after a second round defeat to Wolves.
Rafael Leao has revealed how idols like Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Kaka inspired him to choose AC Milan over rivals Inter. The Portuguese winger admitted Lille once tried to push him towards the Nerazzurri, but he refused the move, staying true to his dream of wearing the Rossoneri shirt. Although currently sidelined by injury, the winger remains central to their hopes this season.
Emmanuel Adebayor has warned Mikel Arteta that a benched star at Arsenal could “spoil the whole training ground” if the Gunners boss does not take a leaf out of Arsene Wenger’s managerial playbook. Gabriel Martinelli is among those having to make peace with a spot among the substitutes in north London, and the Brazilian may not accept that role for long.
When Marcus Rashford was unveiled as a new Barcelona signing in August, he kept coming back to one word: discipline. For a player who had missed training after going on a drunken night out in Belfast a year ago and been forced out of Manchester United by Ruben Amorim for his lack of application, it was an intriguing theme for him to draw upon.
Jose Mourinho claims to be in a “negative” wage position at Benfica, with the Portuguese tactician saying he would “earn more” if he stayed at home and enjoyed time with his family. The ‘Special One’ has chosen not to do that, with the 62-year-old heading back to where it all began for him in a managerial capacity after taking the reins for a second time at Lisbon giants.
Como coach Cesc Fabregas confirmed the Serie A club have taken an initiative to donate their proceeds from their upcoming Coppa Italia game to the local community after northern Italy was hit with torrential rain. The devastating floods have affected homes and businesses around Como and the club's head coach shared an emotional message of support for the locals.
Former Tottenham director of football Fabio Paratici has been handed a 18-month suspended jail sentence as part of a plea bargain deal. Paratici was involved in the infamous Juventus "Plusvalenza" scandal, where a group of Bianconeri officials, including Czech legend Pavel Nedved, were found guilty of misleading Serie A chiefs.
Paul Scholes claims that Marcus Rashford “quit on Manchester United” and has branded the England international’s attitude a “disgrace”. A product of the Red Devils’ famed academy system spent time on loan at Aston Villa last season, having slipped out of favour under Ruben Amorim, before linking up with La Liga giants Barcelona for the 2025-26 campaign.
Real Madrid will not change their contract offer to Vinicius Junior amid a standoff between the Spanish club and the Brazilian winger. Having been dropped twice in recent weeks by new coach Xabi Alonso, the winger is facing further scrutiny this season and the club are reluctant to match his demands for a significant pay rise.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has asked a “what are you doing with this girl” question of the Gunners after seeing USWNT star Jenna Nighswonger exiled from Renee Slegers’ plans. The United States international moved to north London in January but has seen limited game time across her spell in England, with the 24-year-old defender failing to make WSL matchday squads.
Noni Madueke is reportedly facing a lengthy spell out after suffering a knee injury during Arsenal's Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday. Madueke was replaced by a returning Bukayo Saka at the break after sustaining the knock in the first half, with Arsenal eventually grinding out a 1-1 draw at the Emirates.