Raphinha responded to his Ballon d’Or shortlist exclusion on the pitch, scoring twice as Barcelona cruised past Feyenoord with a 5-1 Champions League victory. The Brazilian was unexpectedly left out of the 30-player list announced this week, but showed no sign of frustration as he maintained his excellent early-season form at a rain-drenched Camp Nou. […]
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Michael Carrick is looking forward to guiding Manchester United back into the “magical” Champions League, although he acknowledged that playing on Thursday evening before Sunday’s derby was “not ideal”. United host Sabah at Old Trafford as they return to the Champions League following a two-year absence. The Azerbaijani side, founded less than 10 years ago, […]
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had already established himself as the standout performer before scoring Deportivo A Coruña’s decisive goal on Saturday evening. The opportunity came from an unintended midfield pass by Villarreal substitute Ilias Akhomach, which had been aimed at Sergi Cardona. After providing two assists across the opening 89 minutes, the 37-year-old sprinted through the opposition […]
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Lautaro Martínez struck in the 91st minute as Inter recovered from a two-goal deficit to claim a dramatic 3-2 home win over Napoli and maintain their flawless start to the defence of their Serie A crown. Napoli appeared set for victory after Matteo Politano and Rasmus Højlund gave them a 2-0 advantage by the 53rd […]
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Real Madrid’s flawless opening to the La Liga season came to an end on Friday as Real Betis claimed a 1-0 victory. Substitute Troy Parrott scored with nine minutes remaining, while goalkeeper Alvaro Valles denied Kylian Mbappé from the penalty spot in added time. The match started at a lively pace, although the intensity faded […]
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A warm, muggy evening in Monaco offered a clear indication of how Marseille’s supporters currently feel. Although visiting fans were officially barred from the Stade Louis II, many still attended the 2-0 loss in the Principality. New manager Bruno Génésio received applause, Geoffrey Kondogbia was jeered, and the quiet that dominated much of the second […]
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Fiorentina’s centenary celebrations lasted four days. They began with a supporters’ march through Florence’s historic centre on Wednesday evening and continued through Saturday afternoon’s home fixture against Frosinone. Although the club was officially established on 29 August 1926, a long-standing inconsistency in records has led fans to traditionally mark the anniversary on the 26th. This […]
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Bundesliga debutants Elversberg made a memorable start to life in Germany’s top division by claiming a remarkable 3-2 home win against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Lukas Petkov and Cole Campbell found the net within a minute of one another, giving Elversberg a two-goal advantage before 10 minutes had been played. David Mokwa added a third […]
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The Franz Beckenbauer Supercup carries slightly greater competitive weight than many similar fixtures elsewhere in Europe. Several factors contribute to that atmosphere. The Bundesliga’s customary opening contest between the league champions and cup holders takes place at one club’s home ground rather than at a neutral venue, making it feel like a meaningful domestic match. […]
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Julián Álvarez made his way into a long, shadowy tunnel by himself. “We are better when we stand together,” Giuliano Simeone said, yet that was not what happened. After Atlético Madrid opened their home campaign with a 2-2 draw against Villarreal, the players assembled near the centre circle, exchanged handshakes with their opponents and one […]
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