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Vinicius Junior's scoring slump continued in his return to the Real Madrid lineup in the Champions League. The Brazilian forward had an ineffective performance and couldn't find the net in Madrid's 4-1 win over Leipzig at home on Wednesday, reaching nine straight appearances without a goal for the Spanish club. "It's actually a very good thing that he's sad because it means he really cares about the team and the fans," teammate Kylian Mbappe said. "He needs to stay calm and be proud of who he is, because a great player always has to be proud of who he is, and regain his confidence, because he has the quality." There were some boos at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium when Vinicius made a mistake while trying to make a pass to Jude Bellingham about halfway through the first half. Bellingham immediately applauded, as if asking for the crowd to get behind Vinicius. Parts of the crowd also chanted his name at times. "Living every moment," Vinicius posted on Instagram after the match. ...
A goal and an assist from Harry Kane wasn't enough for Bayern Munich to beat Arsenal. Kane's England teammate Declan Rice scored a second-half equalizer for last season's runner-up to secure a 2-2 draw at six-time winner Bayern in a matchup of two European heavyweights in the Champions League on Wednesday. Rice traded passes with Viktor Gyokeres before finding the target eight minutes from time. Kane converted a penalty earlier in the second half to increase his total to 16 goals in 23 career matches against Arsenal, having scored every season against the London club from 2014-15 to 2023-24 - mostly with Tottenham. Kane also sent Alphonso Davies in on goal when Bayern responded to Eberechi Eze's opener for Arsenal. It was Kane's 10th straight Champions League match with a goal moving within one of Cristiano Ronaldo's record of scoring in 11 consecutive games (set in 2017 and 2018). "We had some good moments, just not enough over the full 90 (minutes)," Kane said. Elsewhere, Rea
Manchester United coach Michael Carrick apologized to supporters after a humbling 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League on Wednesday. Carrick described the performance in Italy as unacceptable and took responsibility as United's season slumped to a new low. "I care an unbelievable amount about the supporters. They are the heartbeat of this football club and they always will be," Carrick said. "For them to travel, I had to apologize for the performance. To have to watch a performance like that, I totally feel for them." Carrick walked over to the traveling fans at the end of the match and repeatedly held his hands up in recognition of the defeat. It was United's fifth loss in all competitions this season and extended the team's winless run to seven games. "It was more than disappointing. I think everybody has got to take responsibility for that," he said. "I 100% take responsibility for the overall team and the performance - that's where it stops. It stops with me and I'm absolu
Manchester City played in front of thousands of empty seats as fans stayed away from the Champions League clash against AEK Athens. A well-below capacity crowd of 40,042 attended City's 5-1 win, with swathes of empty rows visible inside the newly-expanded 61,000-seater Etihad Stadium. The lowest attendance for a City home game this season is around 32,000 for the English League Cup match against second-division Norwich last month. All other home matches this season have had attendances of 60,000-plus. "I think the ones that were in the stadium, they were good," City coach Enzo Maresca said. "In the last game against Ipswich they were top, and now we have next week two games at home against Brighton and I have no doubt that the environment will be top again." The low turnout was a surprise given City fans have been in defiant mood since the club was found guilty of widespread financial wrongdoing, which could see it face a range of punishments including a huge fine, points deductio
Paris Saint-Germain was too powerful for even Lamine Yamal's magic as it ended Barcelona's 11-game winning run to top the Champions League table. A thrilling end to the game with four goals in the last 20 minutes delivered a statement win for PSG, which is joined Liverpool as the only teams with three victories after Alexis Mac Allister led a rousing 4-3 comeback triumph over Villarreal on Tuesday. Yamal had just displayed stunning skill to level the score at 2-2 from a narrow angle when PSG took the lead again through Vitinha, before Fabian Ruiz added another for a 4-2 victory. "We never feel like we're powerless, or that we're beaten in any way," PSG forward Desire Doue said. "We always know there's an opportunity as long as the final whistle hasn't gone," Injuries to stars Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia took some of the shine off the win for PSG, which could now face having to cope without two of its biggest difference-makers in attack. Barcelona needs to bounce back
In a test for both teams and the strained French police, Paris Saint-Germain hosts Barcelona in a Champions League showcase against the backdrop of violent unrest across France. PSG and Barcelona head the standings, though Liverpool or even surprising Stuttgart could end Tuesday on top of the table. The game, which will need a robust security presence, takes place in a very different context to when PSG beat Manchester City 4-2 away last week. What began in France as protests against school conditions has expanded to include a wide range of other groups and causes. There have been violent clashes, fires and looting. An emergency meeting with top government officials on Monday confirmed PSG-Barcelona and other soccer games in European competitions can go ahead after the possibility of calling off games and other big events was discussed. Liverpool could go top with a win over Villarreal if PSG and Barcelona draw, or on goal difference if Andoni Iraola's team can rout its Spanish ..
Paris Saint-Germain left back Nuno Mendes faces several weeks out after suffering a tear in his left thigh, the French champion said Sunday. The Portugal international came off in the 53rd minute of Saturday's 3-1 win at Strasbourg in Ligue 1. The injury is also a blow for PSG coach Luis Enrique, given that Mendes would likely have marked Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal in their Champions League game on Tuesday. Yamal operates from the right flank and often cuts inside. The 19-year-old Yamal has scored nine goals overall this season for Barcelona, which has won all its 11 games so far in La Liga and Champions League, and has also been in terrific form for Spain. Veteran France left back Lucas Digne will likely start the game at Parc des Princes in Paris.
Sunderland needed an injury-time goal from Noah Sadiki to beat Portuguese second-division side Torreense 2-1 in the Europa League . Alphadjo Cisse's hat trick sparked Italian giant AC Milan's 4-0 rout of Salzburg and Leverkusen also cruised 4-0 past Lech Poznan after Patrik Schick scored twice from the penalty spot. Juventus also struck late for a comeback 2-1 victory at Celta. Bournemouth marked its first European home game with a 3-0 victory over Sturm Graz but another English side Crystal Palace lost 3-2 at Lyon. Sunderland and Juventus get late winner ========================= Substitute Granit Xhaka set up Sadiki to volley home the winner in stoppage time and complete a comeback at the surprise winner of the Portuguese Cup. Sunderland dominated play but its first European campaign since 1973 received a scare when Volnei Feltes gave goalkeeper Robin Roefs no chance with a perfect strike into the top corner in the 37th minute. Jules Ahoka equalized after the visitors stepped
Jose Mourinho was treated like a returning hero when he brought Real Madrid to face Roma, one of his many former clubs, on Wednesday. And he snatched the victory, too, as Madrid came back from two goals down for a 4-3 win with three goals in the final 10 minutes - with all three scores following corner kicks. Even before the coach walked out into the Stadio Olimpico ahead of kickoff for a Champions League match, there was a long applause when the stadium announcer read out the teams and Mourinho's name. Then early in the first half, the end of the stadium where Roma's hard-core "ultra" fans sit held up three huge signs featuring images of Mourinho - one of which depicted him cradling the Conference League trophy that Roma won in 2022 to conclude his first season in charge. The Conference title was Roma's first significant European trophy. Mourinho also led Roma to the Europa League final in 2023. He left the club in January 2024 without really saying goodbye. "Whoever brings glor
Manchester City wowed fans with a spectacular fireworks show and a highlights reel of some of its greatest hits before the Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain. It quickly went downhill from there. In what could be interpreted as a latest display of defiance from the embattled club - which has been found guilty of widespread financial wrongdoing - City produced a slick pre-match show reminding supporters of the good times with footage of its most iconic moments on the Etihad Stadium's big screens. On the field, however, the highlights belonged to PSG in a blistering first-half performance, which saw the back-to-back European champion race to a 3-0 lead at the break, including two goals in quick succession. And even if City mounted a spirited second-half fightback, a 4-2 loss brought the club down to earth after the triumphalism that some found off-putting in the wake of Sunday's 3-0 Premier League victory against Liverpool. "Against this kind of team it's already diffic
Barcelona survived a scare against Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday. But Bayern Munich was stunned by a late equaliser from Viking in a 3-3 draw in Norway. Arsenal rolled over Lille and it was more misery for Manchester United. Barcelona's 100 per cent start to the season was under threat down 1-0 to Galatasaray in Istanbul, but the Spanish champion rallied to a 4-1 win. Bayern was in even more trouble against Viking, trailing 2-0 at halftime before Harry Kane turned the game around with two goals after the break. Luis Diaz looked to have completed the comeback, but a red card for Michael Olise and a 90th minute goal from Herman Haugen provided another twist. Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 win at home over Lille and Atletico Madrid piled more pressure on United coach Michael Carrick with a 2-0 win at the Metropolitano. Inter Milan fell to a surprise 4-3 home loss to Club Brugge, and Villarreal beat Napoli 3-1. 10 out of 10 for Barcelona ================ It's 10 straigh
Lisandro Martinez added to Manchester United's troubled start to the season by calling out the club's hierarchy following a 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. In a post-game interview on Tuesday, Martinez questioned the club's off-season recruitment after it had secured a return to the Champions League this season. "I have to control myself a lot. But sometimes it's a reflection in the mirror of how is our club at the moment," Martinez told Amazon Prime. "We did a fantastic season last season. And now we expect more from the top, from up, to bring more players to compete because many teams bring many players as well, and today also Atletico they have an amazing team and they deserved to win today. "I expect more from our technical director. I would have to be honest, as the players, we have to do more, but it's just important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night." Jason Wilcox is United's director of football and the club spent around U
Arsenal's perfect start to the season continued in the Champions League thanks to Martin degaard's sudden rush of goals. degaard struck with a powerful left-foot shot in the 75th minute to secure a 1-0 win at Napoli that should have been more decisive. "I didn't even see it go in," degaard acknowledged, adding that with Napoli defending deep "at some point it made sense to shoot from outside the box." The fit-again captain now has four goals in Arsenal's first five games of the campaign - including the Community Shield - having scored just once in all of last season. degaard was often not fully fit despite playing in parts of 36 games as Arsenal won a first Premier League title in 22 years and missed out on a first Champions League title only in a penalty shootout to Paris Saint-Germain after a 1-1 draw. He lasted just 66 minutes of that final in Budapest. The difference a healthy and fully influential degaard can make was clear from a complete performance in Naples by the 27-year
Six goals for Paris Saint-Germain, five for Barcelona and classically just one for Arsenal as the serious contenders for the Champions League started with wins on Wednesday. There was a hat trick for Ferran Torres, the World Cup-winning goalscorer, on his PSG debut in the competition, and two goals for his new teammate Ousmane Dembele in a 6-1 beating of Slovan Bratislava by the two-time title holder. At Barcelona, Raphinha scored two more in his rapid-fire start to the season, and Lamine Yamal fired a free kick through Feyenoord's defensive wall in an easy 5-1 win. It was a typically Arsenal 1-0 win at Napoli with the only goal scored by the English champion's suddenly prolific captain Martin Odegaard. It's his fourth goal so far after just one in the whole of last season. All four English clubs won their opening games after Liverpool rallied to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 with goals by midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister. However, Liverpool saw its record signing
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are off the mark in the Champions League as Real Madrid and Manchester City kicked off their campaigns with wins on Tuesday. Mbappe gave record 15-time champion Madrid an early lead en route to 2-1 victory over Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu. Haaland scored both goals as 2023 winner City beat Porto 2-0. Madrid and City are expected to be among the main challengers to back-to-back defending champion Paris Saint-Germain this season and both will be relying on their star strikers. Mbappe's goal after 14 minutes was his 71st in European club soccer's top competition, while Haaland took his tally to 59 in 59 appearances in the Champions League. Borussia Dortmund beat Villarreal 3-2, and Real Betis won by the same score at Lille. Aston Villa also won 3-2 over Club Brugge and AEK Athens sealed a 1-0 win over LASK. PSG begin their campaign on Wednesday against Slovan Bratislava. Villa kicks off with a win =============== Aston Villa put its dome
Paris police detained dozens of people after violence disrupted celebrations late Saturday of Paris Saint-Germain's second Champions League title win and a group tried to storm a police station in the French capital. Fans began celebrating in Paris after the final whistle earlier in the evening in Budapest, Hungary, where PSG won by beating Arsenal on penalties in a dramatic final. Fans marched along the avenues near the Arc de Triomphe, with some setting off flares and blaring car horns. Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees, with police working to contain the crowd. The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, with some vandalizing shops and setting fires. Cars were also set ablaze. One police officer was injured. Those who attempted to storm a police station in the posh 8th Arrondissement neighborhood were dispersed, police said. It said that by 10 p.m., 45 people were taken into custody. The main ring road surrounding