Category: Football (Soccer)

The reigning champions must deal with the absence of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for some time, while fans at Anfield were thrilled by Rio Ngumoha

Paris Saint-Germain beat Barcelona 4-2 on Tuesday, but the reigning champions lost the best player in last season’s tournament, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. This autumn has seen much lobbying for the Ballon d’Or, with the Georgian a popular choice, despite his absence from the World Cup. He is expected to be out for six months, although Rodri’s comeback from serious injury – he was rested by Barcelona on Tuesday until coming off the bench in the 60th minute – shows it can take far longer than that for players to rediscover their highest level.

• Bernardo Silva opens scoring as Madrid win 4-1

• Galatasaray sweep past Lille; 10-man Inter edge Shakhtar

Real Madrid claimed a third Champions League victory in as many games by thrashing RB Leipzig 4-1 on Wednesday, with Kylian Mbappé and Yan Diomande among the goals for José Mourinho’s side.

Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for Madrid from close range towards the end of a tight first half, with Arda Guler doubling the record 15-time European champions’ advantage soon after the interval.

• Bernardo Silva opens scoring as Madrid win 4-1

• Galatasaray sweep past Lille; 10-man Inter edge Shakhtar

Real Madrid claimed a third Champions League victory in as many games by thrashing RB Leipzig 4-1 on Wednesday, with Kylian Mbappé and Yan Diomande among the goals for José Mourinho’s side.

Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for Madrid from close range towards the end of a tight first half, with Arda Guler doubling the record 15-time European champions’ advantage soon after the interval.

Declan Rice struck to earn Arsenal a point after Harry Kane scored from the spot, but Bukayo Saka’s early injury will be a concern

The teams are out! Bayern are in one of their all-red phases, while Arsenal are harking back to the early 90s with a blue version of the famous bruised banana. Vincent Kompany is in the house, by the way, having recovered from a virus that threatened to keep him in bed. And so is Germany boss Jurgen Klopp, in the stands flashing that smile and throwing his arm around the shoulder of another erstwhile Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez. Everyone having a good time, it seems, and looking forward to this big showdown, including Arsenal fan Charles Antaki … well, kind of: “Pretty dismal, the fare served up in the game against Forest. But! Pundits have assured us that because Bayern are going to be on the attack, Arsenal will be free to entertain us with a dazzling display of skill, ambition, irresistible cheeks and above all, goals. Not much to say about that except We Shall See.” We’ll be off in a minute or two.

Mikel Arteta speaks to TNT Sports. “We’re gonna have to play, I expect, three or four different games at different stages … we need everybody ready because we need to change and adapt to that … freshness … very excited … we have talked about our enthusiasm for playing on these big stages … that’s where you want to get tested … play with a lot of courage … a lot of aggression … be decisive … we have prepared for what we have to do.”

Declan Rice struck to earn Arsenal a point after Harry Kane scored from the spot, but Bukayo Saka’s early injury will be a concern

The teams are out! Bayern are in one of their all-red phases, while Arsenal are harking back to the early 90s with a blue version of the famous bruised banana. Vincent Kompany is in the house, by the way, having recovered from a virus that threatened to keep him in bed. And so is Germany boss Jurgen Klopp, in the stands flashing that smile and throwing his arm around the shoulder of another erstwhile Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez. Everyone having a good time, it seems, and looking forward to this big showdown, including Arsenal fan Charles Antaki … well, kind of: “Pretty dismal, the fare served up in the game against Forest. But! Pundits have assured us that because Bayern are going to be on the attack, Arsenal will be free to entertain us with a dazzling display of skill, ambition, irresistible cheeks and above all, goals. Not much to say about that except We Shall See.” We’ll be off in a minute or two.

Mikel Arteta speaks to TNT Sports. “We’re gonna have to play, I expect, three or four different games at different stages … we need everybody ready because we need to change and adapt to that … freshness … very excited … we have talked about our enthusiasm for playing on these big stages … that’s where you want to get tested … play with a lot of courage … a lot of aggression … be decisive … we have prepared for what we have to do.”

PSG, pet project of the state of Qatar, expresses the dualism of the city, a place of deprivation where the centre is perfect

PASSION!

GOOOOAL!

PSG, pet project of the state of Qatar, expresses the dualism of the city, a place of deprivation where the centre is perfect

PASSION!

GOOOOAL!

A dismal Manchester United performance ended in an emphatic defeat to Cesc Fàbregas’s completely dominant Como side

The players are on the pitch and very nearly ready to go.

Poor mascot coming out to pick up the match ball looks like someone just dragged him out of a ditch.

Teenager produced man-of-the-match performance against Villarreal and has learned from Salah, says Reds captain

The shot sailed wide of Peter Gulacsi’s top corner and into the Kop, affording Villarreal much-needed respite at 4-2, but for Andoni Iraola it was a standout moment in a scintillating Champions League display from Rio Ngumoha. To a coach that called for versatility from all of his wingers this summer, here was a significant step forward among many from the 18-year-old at Anfield.

There were questions over how Ngumoha would adapt to playing on the right even before Liverpool increased the likelihood by signing Bradley Barcola for £123m from Paris Saint-Germain. On his fifth start under Iraola on Tuesday, which his side ultimately won 4-3, Liverpool witnessed an answer: quickly, incisively and confidently. The teenager’s willingness to cut inside from the right and shoot from distance with the left foot captured Iraola’s imagination as much as the devastating run that created Alexis Mac Allister’s second goal of the game.

• Midfielder scores for first time since heart surgery

• Ten-man Atlético hang on for draw against Stuttgart

Scott McTominay scored his first two goals of the season to help Napoli beat Bodø/Glimt 4-3 and relieve pressure on the coach, Massimiliano Allegri. McTominay, who also hit the post, missed a month of the season after undergoing a surgical procedure in early September to treat an irregular heartbeat.

Matteo Politano’s first-minute opener was cancelled out by Bodø’s Jens Petter Hauge. McTominay restored Napoli’s lead before the break only for Andreas Helmersen to again level for the Norwegian club.

Liverpool fell 2-0 down but battled back to win thanks to Alexis Mac Allister’s double

Villarreal kick off. They’re kicking towards the Kop in this first half.

Both sets of fans give their all to this evening’s pre-match dip into the Rodgers and Hammerstein songbook. Nunca caminarás solo! After which the teams take to the field of play. Liverpool in red, Villarreal in yellow, everyone looking real crisp and clean. A fine atmosphere on a rainy night on Merseyside. The close pals Andoni Iraola and Iñigo Pérez embrace before facing off. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.

Paris Saint-Germain continued their 100% record in this season’s Champions League, with Barcelona their latest victims, while Manchester City romped to another win

Peeeeeeeeep! The games have begun! Except for the one in Paris, which is running late.

These are the final moments of pre-match precursive preambulation, with kick-off moments away. “Now, I’m just reading what you’ve written and I don’t know what it looks like, but this might be the week to avoid excessive displays of fire in the French capital, don’t you think?” writes Jason Geer. Rest assured, t looked like the very opposite of chaos.