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.
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.
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.
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.
Atletico Madrid captain Koke has demanded that Julian Alvarez be left alone following a turbulent summer transfer saga. The veteran midfielder expressed his frustration with the constant media scrutiny surrounding the Argentine forward in the wake of Wednesday's Champions League defeat to Liverpool.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has boldly claimed that Lamine Yamal deserves to win the Ballon d'Or following his record-breaking performance in the Champions League. The teenage sensation was the catalyst as the Catalan giants dismantled Feyenoord 5-1 to open their European campaign in emphatic fashion.
Erling Haaland will continue to generate transfer talk at Manchester City for as long as remarkable goalscoring numbers are posted, but during an exclusive interview with GOAL former Blues striker Andy Cole has pondered why the Norwegian would want to go “anywhere else”. He is also not convinced that the three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner will be concerning himself with “records”.
Inter Miami and Chicago Fire played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at Soldier Field in front of a record-breaking crowd of 63,094 fans. Robert Lewandowski's acrobatic opener was cancelled out by a Casemiro header, while Lionel Messi secured his place in MLS history with another incredible milestone.
Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has sensationally claimed that Spurs should be retrospective winners of the 2016-17 Premier League title. The Argentine argues that Chelsea’s admission of financial rule breaches means the trophy belongs in north London. Though the Blues were fined £10 million by the FA earlier this summer, Pochettino believes a lack of sporting sanctions is a betrayal of fair play.
Carlo Ancelotti has initiated a ruthless overhaul of the Brazil national team, dropping several established stars following a disappointing World Cup campaign. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is among the high-profile casualties as the Italian tactician turns his attention towards the next generation of South American talent.
Liverpool’s marquee summer signing Bradley Barcola saw his highly anticipated Anfield debut end in frustration and concern on Wednesday night. The blockbuster £123 million arrival was forced to withdraw during the second half of the Reds' Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid, sparking immediate fears over a long-term layoff with head coach Andoni Iraola providing fitness update.
Alexis Mac Allister delivered the perfect response to his contract frustrations by firing Liverpool to a thrilling 2-1 Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid. The Argentina international unleashed a stunning second-half strike to secure the win, proving his unwavering commitment to the Anfield club amid ongoing uncertainty over his future.
Barcelona midfielder Rodri has issued a public apology after television cameras caught him making disparaging remarks about Valencia during a recent La Liga encounter. The Spanish international was seen critiquing the opposition's performance from the dugout as Hansi Flick's side cruised to a dominant victory.
Raphinha delivered a sensational performance in Barcelona's Champions League opener, scoring twice as a makeshift centre-forward. The Brazilian skipper lauded the team's display and supported Lamine Yamal, while firmly refusing to discuss his omission from the Ballon d'Or shortlist.
Ferran Torres scored a sensational hat-trick while Ousmane Dembele netted twice as Paris Saint-Germain began their Champions League title defence with a 6-1 thrashing of Slovan Bratislava. Both forward stars reacted with delight after lighting up the Parc des Princes.
